The Break
by Destany Mitchell
Summary: All they wanted was a break, but nothing can't ever be that simple. With the Yeerks developing a new virus and members of their team captured, can the Animorphs save themselves before it's too late? RT JC Pairings. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Yes, I know it seems kind of late posting an Animorphs story. I was into the series when it came out and towards the end, I grew out of the series and packed the books up in my attic to make room on my bookshelf. I recently got nostalgic and decided to re-read my favorite series.

I then got this inkling to write a fanfic and came up with this idea. Anywho, I hope you all enjoy it. Please note that this is a work in progress. Though I'm out of school right now for the summer, I do work and try to maintain a social life so posting might get sporadic but I'm going to try and post every weekend (after this chapter is posted). Hope you all enjoy and I love reviews! Both good and bad!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Please don't sue me, you won't get much. pulls lint out of pockets

**Summary: **WIP so it's subject to some changes. Starts off as a Yeerk-free day, but nothing can be so simple. Takes place after #23 The Pretender but definitely before #24. as that's as far as I read right now and it seems to fit nicely. For those of you who cannot remember what happens in the 23rd book (I forget where events happen A LOT! Thankfully, I found myself a beta-reader :D ) It's the one where Tobias finds out that Elphangor is his father. I haven't completely decided whether or not the other Animorphs know yet, but I'm thinking not. Anywho, onto the story and enough with my babbling.

**Chapter 1: Rachel**

My name is Rachel. I'm not going to bore you with the details about the Yeerk invasion of earth. You've probably already heard about it from my cousin, Jake and our friends Cassie, Marco, and Tobias.

Anyway, enough about what you already know. It was a warm Saturday morning. You know, one of those days when the sky is blue, the grass is green, there are little white puffy clouds in the sky; the ones if you stare at long enough, you can see a dog, cat, bird, castle, dragon, whatever. It was hot, but not unbearably hot. A warm June day with a slight breeze that made everyone feel great.

I was looking forward to today all week, not just because of the nice weather; that is a bonus, but because it was going to be a Yeerk-free weekend. You got it! No thinking about the Yeerks and their conquest; a nice break from the invasion, which we all desperately needed-even our resident alien, Ax. The past few weeks have been rough for all of us. First was the whole scare Cassie was trapped in a butterfly morph from that deal with a Yeerk, then the whole David thing, and finally, the thought of Tobias going to live with his cousin-who turned out to be Visser Three in morph. Long story.

Like I said, we needed a break.

Tobias and I decided to spend the day together. We haven't had much chance to just get together and hang like we used to. Today was more than that too. It was going to be our first official date.

So, here I am, standing in my closet, seriously ticked off that I did not hit the sales at the mall yesterday when I had the chance. I mean, I have a closet full of utter crap and nothing appeased me. _OK, __Jordan__ can have that…and that….that…and that! Oh god, that is garbage…_was my inner monterage as I realized how bad my fashion sense has been lately. I mean, I have to coordinate an outfit that will cover the morphing suit; which is spandex. Come on! There is nothing sexy about spandex, but you can still make it look good if you tried hard enough.

Anywho, I was about to set fire to my whole wardrobe and start over again when the phone rang. _Maybe it's Calvin Klein calling to offer me some assistance on my pathetic wardrobe._ I thought as I crossed my room to answer the phone. I picked it up since my mom was out and my sisters pretend the phone is on silent or something.

"Hello?" I said automatically into the handset.

"Rachel?" It was Cassie.

"Hey Cassie! What's up?" I asked, holding the handset to my ear and eyeing my closet with the death glare.

"OK, I know you and Tobias had that big date and all…" Cassie trailed off as Cassie does sometimes. Normally, I wouldn't think anything of this. Cassie tries not to make you mad, so she tends to get this…nice tone to her voice. It's hard to explain, but by the way she was talking, it made me slightly suspicious.

"Cassie, please don't tell me that the Slugs are playing at school on Monday!" I said, using the code for Yeerks. The Slugs is actually a terrible band at our school, and they attempt to by-pass the 'security' personnel at school and play during lunch. Needless to say, they play like crap, but that's not all that important.

"no, no, it's not that." Cassie insisted. I let out the breath I was holding, but Cassie still hadn't said what she wanted. I frowned.

"Cassie?"

"Well, you see, Jake asked me to..well…you know…"

"_Jake_ asked you out! Jake, as in my cousin Jake!" I said, nearly dropping the phone from shock. I got this huge grin on my face and I turned away from my clothes and plopped down on my bed like an excited teenager. Well, I am an excited teenager, so I guess that was a bad analogy…Cassie's next words stopped my thoughts.

"Well, it's not really a date…but.."

"But…what? You need to borrow some clothes that are not plaid or stained with bird poop? You could have just asked Cass. My mission in life is to help you to achieve fashion sense in anyway possible. We so have to hit the mall, ya know? If you're going to be dating, you need some better"

"Rachel!" Cassie said, cutting me off. I couldn't help it. I just get excited shopping. It's fun. Most of the time. "Look, Rachel, I'm just…I was wondering if you mind if I"

"Cassie, we covered this. Come on over and you can figure out _some_thing that is not so last century to wear." I love Cassie, but she has the fashion sense of a maggot. Yeah, it's that bad.

"No Rachel! I waned to know if you would mind if we…me and Jake, that is…sort of, you know…hungoutwithyouandTobiastoday."

I was silent. My face fell and I felt my happy spirits drop. It was supposed to be my day with Tobias. Just mine and mine only. Plus, I needed the time with Tobias. Cassie and Jake didn't. They saw me and him enough; I mean, We usually together 22/7 with the fighting of the Yeerks.

"Rachel?"

"Yeah Cassie?"

"You don't mind…do you? I mean, it's not a big deal.."

Do I mind? Of course I mind! Was I going to say that to my best friend who was practically my sister? It was my duty of best friend-ship to say 'No Cassie, go ahead and ruin my day' in a chipper tone. But of course I wasn't going to say that. Not to Cassie.

"No, it's fine. Really." I said, trying to sound happy. I hope I did. I could visualize Cassie looking relieved. "As long as Marco doesn't make a guest appearance." I added.

"Why would…"

"Because! If Marco shows up, it would be another Animorph day!"

"Rachel." I winced. We weren't supposed to say that word over the phone.

So anyway, Cassie and I talked over plans and we changed some of the ones Tobias and I had already planned. I made sure we broke off in the evening. Tobias said he had something to show me. I'll be damned if I missed it.

The end! J/K More to come. Now if you review, it will motivate me to post more sooner, so please leave a contribution in the little box. :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Rachel**

I eventually decided to wear a pair of khaki pants and a light blue, button up shirt. I walked to the mall where Tobias and I were going to meet Cassie and Jake. We were supposed to meet in the food court where we were to do lunch and hang out for a little while and discuss the next plan of action.

I got to the mall early, so I stood outside the doors and waited for Tobias to arrive. As I waited, I watched the lines of pedestrians walk in and out of the mall. I silently wondered how many of these people were just normal mall rats and how many of them were Yeerks going through the motions so they looked normal to everyone else. You cannot tell who is a Yeerk and who is not.

It makes you slightly paranoid. Always wondering if the person you are talking too is a prisoner in their own mind. Jake once said it was like watching a movie. He was an outsider watching the actions of someone else. I was so involved in my thoughts that I didn't see Tobias walk up until he tapped me on the shoulder. I jumped slightly and turned to look at him. He had a slight smile on his face and looked like he was trying hard not to laugh.

I sent him a mocking glare.

"Hey" He said, and the sound of his voice kept me from being mad at him. He looked slightly awkward, as he always did when he morphed his old self. He squints like he can't see and forgets to show emotion. Besides that, he looked the same. His blonde hair wassticking up in random directionswhich made him look slightly geeky, but cute all the same.

"Hey" I said back, feeling my heart flutter at the sight of him.

"Sorry I'm a bit late, but"

"It's fine." I said, cutting him off. I could guess why he was late and it didn't matter to me. As long as we were together, nothing else really mattered. I reached out and took his hand, intertwining our fingers and he didn't tense up or jerk away. He gave me a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and we started walking into the mall.

To the observer, we probably looked like a normal couple going to spend the day at the mall. They wouldn't guess that we were more mismatched than Romeo and Juliet. At least they were the same species.

"Oh, you know how today was going to be just us?" I said, trying to break to him my conversation with Cassie. I tried to say everything casually, but Tobias knew me better than that.

"Yes…?" He asked, looking slightly quizzical or sick. I decided the look was meant to be quizzical.

"Well, Cassie called today and" Tobias stopped walking in mid-step. I stopped with him and turned to face him.

"Don't tell me that"

"No, it's not _that_" I said, knowing what he was thinking. Tobias looked relieved. "Jake asked Cassie out and she was really nervous about the whole thing so I kind of said they could join us."

Tobias just stared at me for a second then shrugged.

"Fine by me." He said and added quietly "I'm OK as long as we're together."

I stared back at him for a moment. I wasn't expecting him to say that. He wasn't the one to just come out and say what was on his mind. After all we've been through, he is still shy, especially when he is in his human form.

Tobias looked away from my gaze and stared at the floor. I tried to catch his gaze, but he wouldn't meet my eyes. I smiled at him. It was cute. He was cute and I loved him even more than I did for it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean"

"Yes you did." I said, and he glanced timidly back up at me. I felt my smile get bigger. "It's sweet and I feel the same way." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. When I pulled back, I looked back at him with a smile and started walking again, a satisfied smile on my face. Tobias took a moment to collect himself from his shock and caught up to me. I could feel his gaze on me and I just smiled innocently and took his hand again.

We entered the food court and I spotted Cassie and Jake already seated at a table. I wondered briefly how they managed to beat us without our noticing but quickly shrugged it off. Tobias and I crossed through the maze of chairs, tables, screaming kids and people to the table.

We all ate lunch and talked. It was so normal that I forgot for an hour that my boyfriend is a red-tailed hawk. Until he leaned over and whispered to me that he would be right back. He gave me a kiss on the cheek which caused me to grin again before he left.

I knew he had to demorph. I understood why he had to demorph. I would be doing the same thing if I was him, but I still wished that he wouldn't. Part of me wanted him to stay with me for two hours and we could always be together without having to worry about the time.

"Rachel?" I snapped myself out of my thoughts and looked up at the voice who said my name.

"you ok?" Cassie asked me. I gave her a small smile and nodded. I don't understand why she asked me if I was ok. She's Cassie! She can read emotion in people as easily as breathing. She knew I wasn't completely ok or else she wouldn't have asked.

"I'm going to run to the restroom while Tobias is gone. You two, behave!" Cassie joked and left the table. I glanced over at Jake and felt a sly smile come across my face.

"So, you and Cassie?"

"So, you and Tobias?" He shot back in the same tone as me. I glared at him.

"I don't have to tell you that I'll have to hurt you if you hurt her, do I? Though you're my cousin, I still have to do my best friend duty."

"No." Jake said and added "I'm still debating who I need to give the talk to….I'm almost more worried about Tobias than I am you." He admitted.

I laughed. The others thought I was some loose cannon. A Xena wanna-be. They didn't understand that I'm just as scared as they are, but someone needs to be strong. Don't get me wrong, I like a good fight, but I'm not going to go on a mass killing spree. I'm strong when I need to be and sometimes, I get reckless. I know I could cross the line that Cassie, Marco, and Tobias wouldn't cross. But it doesn't make me a psycho.

"So, what made you decide to ask Cassie out? _Finally_, I might add." Jake looked at me and just shrugged.

"it felt right." Was all he said. I studied him for a moment and noticed the stress from being our leader was showing itself more and more. He probably needed this break more than I did.

"So, do I have to warn you that I'll inflict bodily pain if you end up hurting Tobias?" Jake asked. I looked at him and I didn't even know I said it until Jake nodded, like he agreed with what I just said.

"I'll never hurt Tobias. Not if I can help it."

We were both silent and Cassie came back to our table seconds later. I frowned and glanced into the crowd. Tobias should have been back by now.

Thanks to all who reviewed!

**sednonsatia**: Thank you for the criticism and the review. I know I'm not perfect and neither is my beta reader.

**GenesisDragon**Glad you liked it and I hope you enjoyed this chapter also.

**Ambrosia**: Sorry that you feel that way about my books. But I didn't pack them up because of lack of space (that was part of it) but we were having our house renovated for 6 months and literally, everything was taken out. My Animorphs just never found their way back. That is also why I left them in the attic, my mom is like yours and she would have taken them off the shelve and gave them away to Salvation Army or something. I like my Animorphs and wanted to keep them so I left them in the attic until I wanted to read them again or I got the space for them; whichever happened first.  
I'm sorry to state, but after your reviews, I'm not quite so sure I want to email you about my story. If you liked it enough, you can check back once in awhile (and it's easy to set up an author alert, all you hafta do is click the review, and click signed review and it will log you in. Then click the bottom where it asks for author alerts and stuff. I do it all the time). I felt the way you asked was sort of rude plus, I'm too lazy to write down your email, and sign online, and fill out the email…sound familiar?


	3. Chapter 3

****

****

**Chapter 3:**

**Tobias**

I left the others to go and demorph behind the dumpster at the mall. We already had the place set up for me before and it proved to be a secure place to morph. After I returned to my hawks body, I waited a couple of minutes before remorphing. Morphing takes a lot out of you and can be exhausting when you do it back to back. As I was ready to remorph, my hawk hearing picked up an interesting conversation.

"…We shouldn't talk about this here."

"There is no one around. Besides, Visser Three wants us to guard the Pool entrances and exits."

"The Visser will have our heads if the bandits ruin this."

"He'll have more than _that_ if things don't go as planned."

The pair stayed silent and continued to walk closer to where I was hiding.

"The bandits could be anywhere. What if they heard us?"

"And how would the Visser know that _we_ discussed the information?"

"Because, he could be anywhere also. Could we go and discuss this privately. I do not like the possibilities while we are out in public."

"Fine. Let's go."

The controllers strolled off and I stayed right where I was for longer than I needed to be. When I finally felt safe, I remorphed and quickly put the clothes I was wearing earlier.

This was supposed to be our yeerk-free weekend, but it was looking like that would have to change.

I sighed and entered the mall, playing the conversation over in my head. I needed to find a way to break the news to everyone. As much as I didn't want to ruin our fun, we had to find out what was going on that the Visser doesn't want us to know about.

I approached the table and Rachel's eyes found mine. I don't know how she does it, but she seems to always be able to pinpoint me in a crowd…or the sky. I saw her eyes light up and I felt guilty for not staying with her.

"Hey" She greeted me when I was closer to the table. Her eyes asked me the question: _What took so long?_

Cassie was studying me and I kept my face blank, which wasn't hard for me to do anymore. I knew she knew I was hiding something and I hoped she didn't call me on it. I figured I could go and spy on Chapman and a couple other known controllers tomorrow. See if I can get any more information and then let the others in on what I heard. I sat back down next to Rachel and replied

"I had to find a different place to…well, you all know. Too many people around and you can never be too careful." I said lightly, and Cassie gave me a look that read _Liar! _And I returned her a look that said _Am not_. Or at least, I hope it read that. I'm not really that great at making facial expressions anymore. Hawks don't make expressions.

Jake and Rachel seemed satisfied with my answer. They started to chat again, and I could feel Cassie's eyes boring into me. I tried not to squirm under her gaze. I glanced over at her again, mentally pleading with her not to ask me. Cassie seemed to have gotten the message and joined into the conversation with Jake.

I realized now how much I've been hiding from my friends. I still haven't told them about my meeting with DeGroot yet. The timing hasn't seemed right and part of me doesn't believe it. How realistic is finding out your father is actually an alien who, for the most part, condemned you to becoming a hawk?

I felt Rachel's hand slid into mine under the table. I glanced over at her, wondering how she could always be so strong.

"Tobias?"

I snapped myself out of my thoughts. _Pay attention to Rachel now, you can brood later._ I told myself

"Hu?"

Rachel smiled at me and repeated her question.

"You ready to go?" She asked me.

I nodded, knowing we were going to go somewhere else, but I guess they decided where to go when I wasn't paying attention. The others stood up and I followed suit. I shoved all thoughts of yeerks and controllers out of my head and we finished the day in peace.

**A/N**: Hey everyone, sorry it took so long to update L I've been busy this weekend with graduation. I'm currently working on the fourth chapter and after I have my beta-reader check it over, I'll post it up. Hopefully, It'll be by Friday or Saturday but who knows for sure. Thanks to all who reviewed!

**MasterBrattan**Glad to know you like it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Venus13: **Glad to know you like it. Rachel and Tobias are my favorite animorphs too. (bet you couldn't guess ;) )

**RT FAN14**: Thanks for the compliment, it makes me feel good to know people really enjoy my story.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: wow, guys, I'm so sorry! I thought I posted this chapter days ago!For that mistake, you guys luck out and get two. Again, sorry for the mix up and I'll try to post more sooner!

****

**Chapter 4:**

**Cassie**

Jake and I were walking back to my farm alone. He shyly took my hand and I felt slightly self conscious but happy at the same time.

"Did Tobias seem…distracted earlier?" I asked him. Jake shrugged.

"A little…but you know me. I can't read people if my life depended on it." He laughed slightly and I smiled. Jake was right. He was a typical guy when it came to figuring people out.

"I don't know. When he came back from remorphing, at the mall, he seemed like something was bothering him."

"Cassie, you know I like Tobias, but sometimes…I don't know. It's probably nothing. He isn't the most talkative person in the world when he was human and it's not like he's never spaced out before." Jake pointed out to me. I agreed with him. He did make sense, but something wasn't sitting right with me.

"It's just, something doesn't feel right."

"If Tobias has something to say, he'd tell us."

"Even if Rachel doesn't want to hear it?" I asked. That stopped him. He frowned and stopped walking, looking thoughtful. I stopped beside him.

"You think that Tobias"

I nodded and Jake frowned. He started to mutter under his breath.

"So, what should I do? Force it out of Tobias?" Jake asked me.

"No, but maybe you could talk to him. Maybe tomorrow." I love Jake dearly, but sometimes, he's so clueless.

Jake didn't say anything more on the subject and we continued to walk in thoughtful silence. Jake had a slight frown on his face that he got when he was trying to figure something out. I just walked beside him, wishing Jake and I could be a normal couple without having to be the only people standing against the yeerk invasion.

Rachel

Tobias and I watched as Cassie and Jake walked off. Tobias turned to me with a grin on his face that actually made it to his eyes. His wild grin reminded me so much of myself before a battle that it actually creeped me out a bit. was this a sign that my insanity was rubbing off on him?

"You ready?" He asked me.

"Lets do it." I said like I always do?. We walked to a secluded place and hid our clothes so I could get them later.

Tobias demorphed and I morphed into my bald eagle morph. You should know by now that morphing is unpredictable and never pretty. Unless Cassie is doing it, then it's all artsy and oddly beautiful.

Marco once morphed to a bird and his bones shot out without any feathers. I'm sure that was disgusting. Thankfully, nothing too gross happened today as I shrank and grew feather patterns on my arms that looked like tattoos until they rose up and became three dimensional feathers. My dull human vision became the sharp gaze of an eagle. My feet became talons and my lips hardened and stretched into the hooked beak. My ears disappeared but I could hear better than ever. My bones and insides crunched and squished then finally stopped.

Gone was my blonde hair and tall body. In it's place was a bald eagle with a six-foot wing span, and a sharp beak and talons for ripping apart prey.

Ready? Tobias asked me.

Let's fly! I said, feeling giddy. I opened my wings and let the eagle's mind let me fly. The eagle brain knew how to fly, I didn't, so I let it take over slightly to get me off the ground.

People daydream all the time about spreading wings and flying away; but no amount of daydreaming can prepare you for the feeling.

So, where are we going? I asked.

It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it? Tobias taunted. I tried to think of a good come back, but before I could, Tobias started barking out the flight plan. You see that 7-11 over there? There's usually some good thermals over there. We'll ride it up a few hundred feet and then 

We'll turn the altitude into distance, yes Captain Hawk, I know. I teased. Tobias is obviously the best flier of the group, but after hearing the same kind of directions from him every time we fly, it becomes obvious on what we're going to do.

We flew in comfortable silence but not actually together-together. Bald Eagles and Red-Tailed Hawks do not fly together. It would look suspicious to anyone and attract unwanted attention to ourselves.

I watched Tobias as he made slight adjustments with his wings and turned toward the woods. I made the appropriate adjustments myself to keep on track.

Little more left Rachel. Tobias advised.

I made the correction without a complaint.

Thanks. So, the woods hu? 

You'll see. Tobias stated, and I swear that if he was human, he would have had one of those big grins on his face.

Have I told you that I hate surprises? 

You'll like this one. Tobias insisted.

Tobias, I'll like anything as long as you're there beside me. 

Tobias was silent and I knew it was because he wasn't used to feeling wanted or cared for. He never really knew how to react when someone showed him a lot of emotion.

Tobias started to descend and I followed, feeling curious on what he had planned for us. He finally landed neatly on the ground by the edge of a cliff. I tried to follow as gracefully, but I haven't had the practice Tobias has had and ended up a tangle of feathers. I heard Tobias laugh at me and I turned my eagle glare at him.

You ok Rach? He asked me, though he was still laughing alittle, I knew he was genuinely concerned.

I'm fine. I said, as I untangled myself and started to demorph. Tobias followed my lead and remorphed to his human self.

So, what are we I started to ask, but my thought speak was cut off when my mouth returned. I waited until I was finished morphing to finish my sentence. "So, what are we doing here?"

Tobias just smiled at me.

"You'll see." Was all he said as he took my hand and lead me over to the edge of the cliff. He sat down and I followed suit, not quite sure what he was doing. I glanced over the cliff and noticed the beautiful scene before us.

I was never one to appreciate nature and all it's beauty. That's Cassie's job. But sitting there with Tobias, looking out over the cliff and seeing the forest trees stretch to the horizon and the stream that ran through the forest, it was beautiful.

"Wow," I said, looking out at the view.

It was a calm night. The water barely moved and the sky was in the middle of a perfect sunset. The golden sun was half hidden by the horizon which created glittering light on the top of the water, making it seem as if it moved when it was perfectly still. The sky was in colors of blue, gold, red, and orange and had no clouds in view.  
"I know. It's beautiful. I come out here almost every night, just to watch the sunset." Tobias commented, his voice sounding far away.  
I glanced over at him, and watched him studying the sky. I leaned over and layed my head on his shoulder. He tentatively wrapped his arm around me and laid his head down on mine. We sat together at the edge of the cliff, our feet dangling over the edge, just watching the sunset. There were no sounds except for the occasional hoot or howl. Once in awhile, a rustling of tree leaves, but then all would be silent. It seemed that here, at the cliff, time itself stood still.

There was no confusing thoughts, no worries, absolutely no thought of the outside world. It was as if civilization itself did not exist and if it did exist, it didn't matter here. The outside world was not able to see or intrude on this moment.  
I did not want to leave this place. All expectations of me were gone, all the secrets, the frustration, the battles, and the yeerks themselves didn't matter. It was as if we had stepped into an alternate universe were these problems did not even exist.  
We watched together as the last sliver of sun disappeared behind its nightly hiding place and looked back up at the sky. It was now a dark velvety blue towards the top and got lighter as it approached the horizon which still glowed from the suns lasting light until it finally gave in and changed to the same velvety blue as the rest of the sky. The stars had begun to show and the half moon shone brightly in the sky.  
Tobias sighed and stood up, stretching his arms over his head.  
"I know why you come out here. It's not only beautiful, it's as if the whole world just…"  
"Slips away." Tobias finished, and we smiled briefly at each other. "Come on, we have to get out of here or I'll never find our way through the woods." Tobias added and started to demorph.

I stood and took another glance at the horizon and followed his lead reluctantly aswe left our little piece of paradise and headed back to reality.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Sorry this took so long to get up! I've been so busy because my parents are wanting to put new carpet in my room so I haven't had much time to work on this. I know this chapter is a bit lame, but I needed the events to happen so I can use it later. The next chapter will get more into the story. Hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter 5**

**Tobias**

I sat in my usual branch overlooking my meadow. I already ate my breakfast and I was rehearsing the talk I was going to have with Ax in my mind.

It's been a few days since my meeting with the lawyer, DeGroot, and I haven't told the others what I had learned yet. I just wasn't ever sure how to start that conversation, because 'Hey guys! Guess what! Elphangor's my father!' doesn't really sound all that great. I know I have to tell them soon. The longer this stays in my mind, the harder it's going to be to tell them all. I've decided that Ax should be the first to know; since Elphangor was his brother and all.

I pushed off my tree branch and flapped into the sky, looking for the andalite. It wasn't that hard, considering there are only two andalites on Earth. That we know of. Ax was by the stream that he usually does his morning ritual at.

I killed my speed and aimed for a branch near where Ax was standing.

Hey Ax! I called, knowing he probably already spotted me with his stalk eyes.

Hello, Tobias Ax called and faced me when I landed.

What is up? He asked me.

If I were human, I would have smiled. Ax is starting to get some of our slang down. I remember once when I asked him what's up and he listed off everything that he could think of that was above us. It was amusing, for the first 10-15 items, but then got boring as the list went on and on.

Not a lot I said and he nodded his head. Another habit he picked up from us. I took a deep breath, at least as deep a breath as a hawk can take. Ax, there's something I need to tell you. I said, and Ax got this serious look in his eyes. All four of them.

Yes, Tobias? 

You know that meeting I had with that lawyer-DeGroot? Ax nodded once more. _Here goes nothing._ I thought. I learned some things about my past. I thought you should be the first to know. 

I am honored Tobias, that you would share this with me. Ax stated and added We are shorm, you do not have to keep secrets from me. 

I know Ax. It's just, what I'm going to tell you is hard to digest. 

Like snail shells? Ax asked me.

Again, if I were human, I would have raised an eyebrow and looked confused.

It's an expression, Ax. It means that the news is kind of unsettling. I explained. Ax nodded. I paused, trying to think over my next words. When I got to the office, DeGroot and Visser Three-as Aria-were there. DeGroot said he had this…letter, that was from my father. My real father. 

Can I ask what it said? Ax asked, looking interested. I almost laughed bitterly.

The contents of the letter came as a shock. My real father's name was Alan Fangor. I paused to see if Ax made the connection on his own. His real name though, was Elphangor-Sirinial-Shamtul. I looked at Ax and he showed nothing on his face, nothing but shock and I think he might have thought I was pulling his leg.

Tobias 

Ax, let me finish. He went on to explain how he came to Earth the first time. How he was sick of the war and ran away. He came here, acquired a human morph and trapped himself in it. I guess, he met my mother and…yeah. The Ellimist came to him later and gave him the choice to stay hidden on Earth or fight the Yeerks again. Elphangor chose to fight, knowing they would be coming here in the not too distant future. His time on Earth was erased, like it never happened. You know the rest from there. 

Elphangor would have told me. Ax said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Ax 

No, Tobias. He said, and I felt more ashamed of myself then ever.

Ax, I said, softer this time. I think…from the way you talk of Elphangor, I think he didn't want to disappoint you. He was your older brother, and you held him up on a peddle stool. You were proud of him and wanted to be like him. If Elphangor would have told you that he ran away… I sighed. I think he didn't want to destroy your image of him. 

Thank you, for sharing this with me Tobias. Ax said, and I could hear something different in Ax's voice.

I'll just go and leave you alone to digest everything. I said, and took off. Ax didn't comment. I just flew away from there and couldn't find the motivation to get myself back to business.

I just kept flying and I didn't realize I was headed to the Hork-Bajir valley until I was already there. I spotted Toby and landed by her.

"Friend Tobias." Toby greeted.

Hey Toby. I greeted. I guess she sensed that I was feeling down. She just smiled that creepy Hork-Bajir smile and said "Come." I followed her and tried not to keep my conversation with ax in my thoughts.

**rockergurl13: **Thanks for the review. Glad you enjoyed!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Sorry guys that I'm taking so long, but the next two chapters are also going to be difficult to write. I got the idea for this story based off of a dream I had…and the dream took place in the middle of this story. I'm trying to come up with a good beginning, but it's proving to be a task! I promise I'll try and get chapter 7 and 8 done soon so I can get onto the "fun" stuff. :D Thank you all for your patience and though I know this chapter could be loads better, I feel I can go back later and fix it to my liking than keep you all waiting another few weeks until I get the time and the energy to re-work this chapter. Thank you all for reviewing, I'll address concerns at the end of this chapter.

**Chapter 6**

**Two Days Later**

**Jake**

"Ya know man, we're working our asses off to save the world and we get loaded with math homework! I mean, come on! Like I have time to figure out what the pi root of 64 is between fights!"

I smiled slightly at Marco's rant. Little did my friend know, I was thinking the same thing earlier that day.

"Well, you know, if you're lucky, you could ask the 'galactic warrior' what the answer is before you press a and b which causes his death." I suggested, hoping if anyone was listening they would assume we were talking about video games. Ya know, normal guy stuff? At least, I believe video games are still considered normal. I don't have much time to think about 'normal' things anymore.

Marco glared at me and shook his head at my lame attempt at a joke. "Very funny Jake." He said.

I just shrugged and said "just trying to help."

We walked to the end of the street in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. When we reached the end of the street, we exchanged "see-yas" and went our separate ways.

I turned the next corner and walked up my driveway, digging my house keys out of my jacket pocket. Tom was supposed to get home before me, but he's rarely around these days. I'm glad when he's gone. I don't have to worry about slipping something that would make the Yeerk in his brain suspicious. I walked up the driveway and tested the door on some chance he'd be home. The door gave and I pushed it open, slightly surprised.

I stepped inside and set my backpack down by the door, where I'd get it later to work on my homework. I headed towards the kitchen and paused when I heard voices, pressing myself up against the wall, in attempt to not be noticed.

"…we have to be ready for their arrival." Tom was saying.

"I know. We all do."

"The Visser will not be happy if one mistake happens. If one person is in the wrong place…"

"The council will not know of our problems. Security is at it's maximum. They will not know about our continuing troubles with the Andalite bandits."

"Good. I hope your team knows what is expected." Tom said.

"They all know their orders." The other confirmed. The yeerks were silent. I thought for a moment they must have known I was there. I didn't want to be caught eavesdropping. I already knew what lengths tom's yeerk would go to make sure his plans went accordingly. I took a couple of steps away from the wall and took a deep breathe, hoping nothing I heard showed on my face and stepped into the kitchen.

"Hey, Tom." I greeted as I walked over to the fridge.  
"What do you want?" Tom asked, sounding irritated.

I opened the fridge and pulled out a coke. I held it up as I kicked the door shut and leaned against the island and looked at my brother; playing the role as the annoying younger brother.

"So, what are you guys up to?" I asked, opening the coke and taking a sip from it.

"Sharing stuff." Tom said vaguely with a shrug. I nodded slightly. The other controller looked over at him expectantly.

"Our meeting is going to begin shortly." He said. Tom and I both looked at him. We both had similar expressions of oddness on our faces. What teen says begins shortly anymore?

Tom seemed to shake himself from his funk. "Tell mom and dad I won't be home for dinner. I'm going to eat with the Sharing." He said, and began to leave.

"C-ya." I said and they left the room. Moments later I heard the front door close with a soft click. I sighed and set the coke down on the counter and crossed to the corded phone hanging on the wall and dialed Cassie's number before I realized I was dialing it.

"Hey Jake," she greeted.

"Hey Cassie, did you get number 20 on the math _home_work?" I asked.

"yeah, it was complicated. It took me 20 minutes of sitting in the barn to figure it out and I still don't think it's right."

I was glad she caught on to my code. Meeting in the barn in 20 minutes.

"You think we should form our usual study group? Maybe we can all work on it together." I suggested.

"Yeah, it sounds good." Cassie replied.

"Cool. See ya soon." I said and she said the same back and we hung up. I then called Marco and Rachel and had similar conversations. I knew Cassie would alert Tobias and Ax of our meeting.

I left the kitchen and passed through the living room to get to my own room. I stopped for a second and stared at my bookbag with a sigh, wondering if I'd ever get myself caught up before the next test and headed towards my room.

I closed the door and shed my outer clothing. I crossed to my window and opened it so I could get through it once I had morphed.

I pushed all thoughts of homework out of my mind and thought of the peregrine falcon morph. Moments later, I flew through my bedroom window towards Cassie's barn.

**Ladies of Romantic Dreams**: Thank you for the kind reviews. I actually laughed when I read about Elfangor being mis-spelled because in my written version, I spelled it correctly. LOL! I hope you liked this chapter too, though I feel it's not really up to par.

**rockergurl13**: Thanks for the review. I hope to finish this story (though if I can get the next chapters to word right, I'd be where I want to be and have minimal problems). I know your frustrations on the Animorph stories. It seems when I find a good one, it never gets updated.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **readers are rendered speechless Yes, I know, exciting isn't it? Two chapters in two days! I really didn't think I would get this chapter up this fast. See, last night about midnight, I took out my notebook (I handwrite my stories then type…to me it's easier cuz then I get two drafts and such) and began working on chapter 7 which was originally told in Jake's POV; which I hated with a passion. I ripped the chapter apart and chucked it across my room and glared at the "Chapter 7" heading on the blank page. Then I got an inspiration. (More like a sugar buzz) so I switched and wrote in Marco's pov, and wa-lah! I can honestly say, I love this chapter:D I'm so proud of it, considering the first draft was utter crap. Needless to say, in all my excitement, I made my beta read it asap and decided to post because of my mirth. :D That and I'm happy to see War of the Worlds tonight. ducks all the tomatoes thrown at my head

Anyway, you guys could care less about my social life or the progression of this story, but I can tell you now, chapter 8 will be in Rachel's point of view and I believe 9 will be Tobias. Not quite sure on that one yet. I might write it in different point of views and choose the best…but we'll see. :D This story might be moving along quicker than I thought because the creative juices are now flowing! cheers

I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I did and thank you to rockergurl13 for reviewing the last chapter soon after I posted it. :D

And now, onto the story and enough about my ramblings. I applaud you if you actually read all of this, cuz I know I would have fallen asleep by now. hears a chorus of 'finally's'

**Chapter 7**

**Marco**

**I want to state, thoughspeak will now be between () since it was pointed out the greater than, less than signs do not work. **

(Yo, Yo, Yo wad up? Marco's in da haopwlk!) My thought speak cut short as I began to demorph from Osprey to human.

Jake called and assembled this meeting, which meant I probably will be taking his advice and getting math homework answers out of whatever Hork Bajir I happen to be fighting at the time, followed by a night of nightmares and me waking up wondering if I'm completely human or some odd mix of human and animal. Yup, just another day of being an Animorph.

Rachel looked over at me through her cover girl eyes and rolled her blue pupils in boredom. I surveyed the barn and noticed everyone in their usual places, except Cassie's arm, which was currently down the throat of a rather pissed looking raccoon.

(What's up Jake?) Tobias asked, ruffling his feathers.

"What is up Doc. Okuh. Kuh." Ax said, attempting to make a joke. At least, I think that's what he was doing. You can never be sure with that one, if you know what I mean.

"Ax-man, lay off the cable and stop imitating Bugs."

"Anyway," Jake started. "Something big is going on. I came home from school today and overheard Tom talking to another controller about how perfect things needed to be for the council's arrival."

"The council? As in the council of eleven?" I asked.

"Council. Cow-n-silll. Of thirteen. Thir. Teen. Teeeenuh." Ax corrected.

(There's definitely something big going on. I started tracking known controllers again yesterday. They're skittish about something.)

"Can't be that bad. The Chee of doom and gloom hasn't shown up yet." I pointed out.

No sooner did I open my fat mouth, Erek the Chee waltzed into the barn. Not really waltzed, more like lumbered in, but waltzed sounds better. I groaned. His presence is not usually a good sign.

"We're doomed!" I declared.

"Stop being a drama queen!" Rachel snapped.

"Maybe I should come back another time…" Erek started to say.

"No Erek, stay!" Cassie insisted, locking the cage to the raccoon she previously had her arm down it's throat. I think she wanted us to be doomed. Why else would she want Erek the Chee of gloom and doom to stay?

"What is it Erek?" Jake asked him.

"We just found out today some important information."  
"Good or bad?" I asked.

"More like Bad and Worst." Erek said, glumly.

"How about we take bad for 100 Erek." I stated. Rachel rolled her pretty blue eyes at me and said nothing.

"The Yeerk Council of Thirteen is due in sometime tomorrow to evaluate the progress of earth."

"Don't they have some inspector or representative? I would think they would stay safe on the Yeerk home world or on some Blade Ship somewhere." Cassie stated.

"I think they do, but I guess they wanted to see this for themselves."

"So this means that Visser Three is going to step up the infestation of our race." Rachel stated. "And he's also going to make it harder for us to attack or infiltrate the sharing or yeerk pool." I swear that Rachel sounded almost excited at the prospect. Crazy one she is.

(OK, we kind of knew about the council. Should we ask about what's worst than the council visiting?) Tobias asked.

"We have discovered that the yeerks are developing a virus."

"What kind of virus?" Cassie asked, perking up.

"One that is supposed to target the morphing power. I believe it is designed to make the person or persons sicker with the ability of morphing." Erek stated.

"So meaning, the more you morph, the sicker you become?" I asked.

No one said anything.

(I do not believe the yeerks are technologically advanced enough to develop a virus of that nature. It would take years of careful testing and evaluating. There is no way they could have tested-) Who I noticed had demorphed back to his Andalite body when I wasn't paying attention.

"So theoretically speaking then?" I said, cutting Ax off.

(Well, even so, the Andalites would-)

"Ax, please don't try to explain." Jake stated, rubbing his temples.

"We have no big information on it. Only they are ready to begin testing. The Visser probably won't offer himself as a subject.."

"Meaning he needs to capture one of us." Cassie finished.

Erek nodded.

We were all silent. Not even a peep from the animals which was odd. They never stayed silent. It sent a chill down my spine.

"Well Erek, you really know how to make a crowd go speechless." I said, trying to fill the silence.

"Thanks Erek. Is that all you got?" Jake asked. Erek nodded glumly.

"We'll be in touch." Erek stated and left the barn and the six of us in our own thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter! I'm so excited because, with the next chapter, starts 'the good stuff!' The part of the story I've had in my head since before I put my pen to the paper and my hands to the keyboard. I hope (American readers) had a fun and safe Fourth of July.

On another note, I highly recommend the movie War of the Worlds. If you want to see it, go see it in theatres because the movie rocks (and I'm not a tom cruise fan, go figure!) and it will not do it justice to see it on a home television screen. :D It's so worth the money to see it on the big screen. :D

Onto the next chapter, as you are all only here for that.

**Chapter 8**

**Rachel**

"Now what?" Cassie asked, breaking our silence. No one responded for a minute or two.

"We hit them hard and fast." I began "We prove to the council of thirteen that we are stronger than they think. Stronger than Visser Three has let on. We need to make our Visser look like an idiot in front of his bosses."

"Are you insane?" Marco asked then added "Don't answer that, we already know you are! We can't just…" He trailed off looking completely exasperated.

"So what? You want to lay low and hope the yeerks just go away!" I demanded. "News flash! They aren't going to leave unless we give them a reason too."

Rachel… Tobias said to me, and from the looks on everyone's faces, he said it privately. I tilted my head slightly to let him know I heard him. Just drop it. Marco's being…well, Marco. I sighed and shook my head in annoyance.

"What if the council starts a full out war because they suddenly think we're stronger than they think? Did you think of that one oh mighty Xena?" Marco demanded.

I fumed. How could he ridicule me when no one else has any suggestions? From the look on Jake's face, I could tell he agreed with me. From Cassie's silence, I knew she was torn between doing what she knew was right and what she felt was wrong. Tobias indirectly told me he agreed with me. Ax…well, he'd do anything Jake told him to do. I knew I was right, but why did Marco's comments bother me more than usual?

"I don't see you offering suggestions." I snapped back.

"OK, guys, cool it for a moment." Jake said, and sighed. "We need to do something. That much is clear. Before we do thought, we need to think about our options. The angles. We need to figure out if we hit them, as Rachel put it, hard and fast, where do we hit and when."

"So, you're Okaying this suicide mission?" Marco asked, looking slightly surprised. Everyone gave Marco the 'shut up' look. "I was only trying to be clear." He muttered.

"We could hit sharing meetings, the Yeerk pool itself, known controller owned and operated businesses, the possibilities are endless!" I stated, hoping the others would see what I saw. We had to make the Visser look bad. That was our only hope.

"We can't get into the pool. Not easily anyway." Cassie said, looking at everyone for confirmation.

Actually, the Yeerks are installing a new entrance by the 7-11 up town. I don't think they have a filter up yet. Tobias stated. I felt a smile coming on. I could almost feel the pre-fight adrenaline rush. The down side, the yeerk pool. The one place on earth that could make Hitler and his SS officers cringe. I still have nightmares about our first visit to the Yeerk pool. I think we all do.

"OK, Tobias, check out that entrance and see if the filter's up and running yet." Jake said.

I'm on it. Tobias flew out of the barn and said to me only I'll see you later tonight. 

"So, what do you want us to do?" Marco asked.

"Go home, do homework. We meet up tomorrow after school and if Tobias's entrance checks out, we go and do as Rachel said; we attack them hard and fast. In-and-out. We'll discuss any other attacks when we re-assemble back at Tobias's meadow." We all looked confused at that point. We usually meet back at the barn. "If for some reason, we get followed, we don't want to assemble here." Jake stated, and we all nodded.

We all said our goodbyes and headed home in separate directions, my mind wondering if I made the right call. For some reason, I felt a slight pang of dread. Like something was going to go wrong. I shoved my doubts aside as I walked back into my house and trudged up to my room to begin my math homework.

Thanks to _IG88_, _rockergurl13_ (yes I am a girl), _Wolf-black-flame_, and _GenesisDragon_, for the reviews. As always, I look forward to them all. Reviews motivate me to post more sooner, so if you want to see a new chapter at a quicker pace, review! (though my work schedule has a lot do with how frequently I post; the more spare time I have, the more I write and yada-yada)

Hope you all enjoyed (even those who didn't review)!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Hey Ladies and Gents! I know I know, Two Chapters in one week! I'm going to give myself a heart attack! I told my mom earlier I wasn't feeling all that well… ;) You will all be pleased to know that Thursday night, I wrote from chapter 9-13 :D. I'm finally at all the 'good stuff' (well, kinda…) but we're getting this rolling! I'm hoping to write another chapter or 2 tonight and who knows. Maybe we'll see another chapter tomorrow or the next day…making it a record of 3 chapters in a week! (hears a collective gasp) :D I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Also, a slight fact, if you make it through this chapter (without all my a/n's of babble, you will have read 17 typed pages in size 12 times new roman font) So I congratulate you for putting up with me so far, though a lot more is to come…hopefully no one will loose interest…

On another note: I saw Fantastic Four Today (too many good movies are coming out this summer, let me tell ya…) and it was, as my friend stated, Fantastic! A bit drawn out, but they did a good job over all. Well, onto the story and if you all review like mad men or women, the chances of seeing another chapter this week will be higher. :D Enjoy!

**Chapter 9**

**Tobias**

I spent my day watching our entrance while the others were at school. There wasn't much activity going on. Just some controllers manning the construction process. The dead air and lack of thermals made keeping watch a lot harder than it should have been.

I caught the glimpse of a businessman's Timex and noted I had to leave to meet the others on time. I tilted my wings and turned in the opposite direction towards Cassie's barn.

They day would have gone by faster had I brought Ax with me to keep myself some company. We haven't really talked much since I told him about my father being his brother. I didn't want to tell the others until the information sunk in to Ax. I realized how much I missed my friend now that we didn't talk as much.

As I flew over the school, I saw Rachel leaving, her arms empty which meant she let all her homework in her locker to get later. Her golden blonde hair shone in the sunlight and she looked as beautiful as ever in a pair of old jeans that were slightly warn and a sports jersey of some kind. I think it was basketball, but I could be wrong. I was never that into sports when I was human.

((Hey, if you go about 2 blocks to the left and hang a right, you'll be clear to morph.)) I told her. She moved her fingers slightly and tilted her head a fraction of an inch so no one but me would notice it. She followed my directions and soon a bald eagle came soaring up where a human girl once stood.

((Hey Tobias!)) She greeted me.

((Hey.)) I said as she flew towards me. ((Don't get much closer! We're not humans. Birds of prey don't flock together! Even if they're the same species.)) I snapped, maybe a bit too harshly at her. Rachel didn't say anything, but I saw her adjust her path more to the left of me.

((Sorry.))She finally muttered.

((I didn't mean to snap.))

((It's fine. You're right.)) She said and was silent once more. I wanted to sight. If I had been human, I probably would have. Birds don't sigh like Humans do.

We flew the rest of the way to Cassie's barn in silence, with me wondering why I had to constantly mess my own life up. I took my usual place in the rafters as Rachel landed and demorphed. Cassie was already tending to injured animals-changing their bandages and such. Jake and Marco flew in after Rachel had finished demorphing and Ax walked in after them.

I noted how Rachel wouldn't look directly at me and how Ax seemed slightly uncomfortable. Then again, it could have been the human morph. I don't think it was though. I somehow managed to push away the only people who really gave a damn about me.

Sure, Jake has become my friend and Cassie…well, she's Cassie and cares about everyone. Marco…I don't know. I haven't figured him out yet. I think I scare him too much to even be considered more than a casual friend. If that even. But Rachel, she loves me. She cares about me and worries about me even though I tell her not to. Ax is probably the closest thing I've ever had to a best friend. We're both outcasts in our own strange way of this group. He being the only resident alien and myself being the freak of nature that I became.

"Tobias?" Cassie said, looking up at me a concerned expression on his face.

((Hu?)) I asked, snapping myself out of my thoughts and shoving them from my mind. _Now is not the time to be self, pitying Tobias! _I yelled at myself.

"I asked you if our entrance to the pool was a go." Jake stated, looking annoyed he had to repeat himself again.

"Bird-boy was too busy day-dreaming about Xena." Marco joked. Rachel sent him an icy glare and I just ignored his comments. I was used to Marco's jibes by now. After all, he was kind of right.

((Yeah, as long as the Yeerks haven't made much more progress in the hour we've been here, we should be fine.)) I answered, pushing back images of being trapped in the Yeerk Pool. I did not want to think about that. Ever. It seemed every time the Yeerk pool was mentioned, I could hear the endless hours of screams-both human and alien-echoing in my mind. The others thought they had nightmares? They hadn't seen what I did. No one could ever understand unless they were there. You can draw up the image of humans and Hork Bajir being locked in huge cages, screaming, begging for someone to save them from their fate though they know that it is useless to have too much hope. You might be able to imagine the picture if you let your imagination go wild. But you can't draw up the screams. You can't visualize the reality no matter how hard you try. And now? Now we're going back down there, again. Back to the place where Hell resides on Earth.

Jake asked if everyone was ready. I said yes when I really thought never in a million years. I heard Rachel say "let's do it" in the usual way she does, though to me, it sounded more hesitant. The others morphed to bird and we flew out of the barn and towards the 7-11, the whole way, the screams in my mind got louder and clearer each time I tried to push them away.

Thanks to _rockergurl13_(I do Rachel well because I can identify with pieces of her personality; Along with Tobias and Marco. Unfortunately, that means the chapters will mostly be written in their p.o.v.'s. Glad you enjoy) and _GenesisDragon_(I try to write action…usually doesn't come out as I picture it, but I try. There'll be some adventures later though, that I can promise.)

Again, I'd like to say, if you wish to see another chapter sooner, please leave a contribution in the little box. (sorry, having a labyrinth flashback…)But you all get the idea. REVIEW!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **OK, I'm sorry if this chapter has a few grammatical errors or whatever, but I decided to override my beta and just post this. She was supposed to send the chapter back to me yesterday, but I really want to get this story moving for all my readers. If she fixes a lot of things, I'll re-post the chapter, but the general plot or main events won't change. :D I hope you all enjoy this chapter and the next (because I want to post the chapters now when I have the time. As I said, I don't think my beta will find much. I proof read these chapters before sending them off. :D ) Enjoy!

**Chapter 10**

**Rachel**

Something was off with Tobias. I could feel it the moment he snapped at me. It didn't hurt me that he snapped at me, he does it a lot when we're flying. He's the pro and I'm not. I know he didn't mean what he said, but I couldn't help but feel hurt. His words stung and echoed in my mind: _even if they're the same species_.

While in the barn, Tobias had remained silent as we discussed our plans for infiltrating the Yeerk pool and I wondered briefly if he even heard the plans we discussed. When we took off, he followed us silently, not bothering to snap out flight corrections as he usually does. Only then did I think of what was bothering him so much.

((Tobias?)) I asked him, hoping he wouldn't ignore me.

((Hu?))He asked after a moment's hesitation. I would have smiled if I had lips. He would never ignore me no matter how irritated he was.

((Are you ok?)) I asked. There was a long pause of silence. I was beginning to think he wasn't going to answer when he finally spoke.

((Honestly?)) He stated before continuing, ((No, but you gotta do what you gotta do.))

((Anything you want to talk about?)) I asked him, feeling worried about him all over again.

((No, I'll be fine.)) He said and I believed him. We flew in silence to the abandoned building across from the 7-11. From there, we demorphed while Tobias and Ax morphed to human.

Earlier that day, Erek and the Chee stashed us some clothes here so we could look semi-normal once we got into the pool area. We each gathered a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and put them on over our morphing suits. We left the building and crossed the street to the entrance. The Chee had helped us figure out the right time to go when the guards are on shift change. We descended the steps, careful of the steepness and unequal widths that came from still being under construction. We entered the pool area with no problem and scattered on Jakes nod to us. Marco and I split off to the left, Tobias and Cassie went to the right and Jake and Ax went straight ahead. As I left the group, my eyes caught Tobias's. Our expressions were the same. _Be careful, _They read.

"So, Xena…"

"Ssshhh!" I snapped. Marco promptly shut up and we made our way unnoticed around the pool and past the screaming hosts in cages, yelling for us to save them.

It took me everything in my power not to show the disgust on my face. I had to remain passive. Any sign of emotion, and the Yeerks would know I was not of their ranks. Marco beside me was having more trouble than I was. His hands were clenched into tight fists and his eyes showed his fury.

"Marco!" I snapped at him, hoping he'd realize and correct his mistake. We got to our dark corner and took our pre-determined positions.

I spotted Jake and Ax making their way through a crowd of controllers as they went in search of their hiding place. I could not spot Tobias or Cassie. I sighed and looked at Marco.

"See any good movies lately?" I asked, striking up small talk, and scanning around for Jake's signal.

"Was that a come on?" Marco asked, getting this pleased grin on his face. I looked at him, feeling disgusted.

"How can you think of that…" I shook my head and gave up. I can never understand Marco's mind. But I can try to knock him down a few pegs if I'm in the right mood.

"So, what's Jake's signal?" Marco asked me. I shrugged. I was not all that clear myself. Jake told us to get into position and when we saw his signal, morph and cause chaos.

Then I saw a flash of blue gallop past me. I did a double take and saw an Andalite run past me, followed by a few dozen Hork Bajir warriors. Marco and I looked at each other.

"Let's do it!" I said and began to change.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Yes I know, two chapters in one day! I'm ill:D I hope you all enjoy the treat. I want to state it probably won't be until next week I'll be able to post again. Saturday the new harry potter book comes out and sunday is my graduation party, so I'll be busy all weekend between the two. I'll try to post again on tuesday, so until then...Thank you all and Enjoy!

**Chapter 11**

**Tobias**

Cassie and I separated from the others and moved through the masses of controllers liked we belonged.

Each tortured scream sent chills down my spine and made me want to vomit. More than ever I wished I could be back in my hawks' body where I could loose myself in the bird mind and not be bothered by the tortured screams of captured humans.

"You ready?" Cassie asked me once we were in position.

"Yeah." I said and demorphed to hawk. We would need both my eyes and wings if we wanted to get out of here alive.

Cassie and I waited in silence. She kept me out of sight as I demorphed and I kept an eye out for her as she morphed wolf after Jake's signal of Ax getting chased by Hork Bajir.

I took off into the air and watched the battle below me. Rachel was still morphing to grizzly and Marco was almost Gorilla. Jake was a full Tiger and attacked the nearest group of controllers. Cassie was now fully wolf and ran to join in the battle.

Run faster Ax they're catching up. Jake you've got three Hork Bajir advancing on your left. Rachel, Ax could use your help. I called out. Once I saw my friends were mostly ok, I joined the fight in my own way, attacking the eyes of some Hork Bajir to buy my friends some time.

I found it odd that the controllers weren't as swarming as usual. It was almost like they didn't want to hurt us. I was about to tell Jake of my assessment when the Hork Bajir I had been attacking reached up and sliced into my wing with his wrist blade.

((AAAHHH!)) I screamed. The pain was blinding and unbearable. I knew I had to find a place to demorph and fast. I meekly flapped my good wing as far as I could, but the effort was pointless. I fell to the ground and Cassie must have been near because she picked me up in her jaws.

((Ah, Hey! Watch the teeth!)) I snapped, feeling irritated.

((Sorry. Jake wants everyone out…he said-AAHH!)) Cassie was bumped and I was thrown from her jaws away from her a few good feet. I landed hard on the ground on my bad wing and felt the pain explode. My vision blurred and I heard someone in the distance call out my name. The scene around me got darker and I tried to call out to my friends, but I was too weak. The blackness was becoming more and more welcoming.

I felt myself being lifted from the ground and I could no longer keep my eyes open as I fell gratefully into the darkness, hoping my friends were ok.

I would like to thank _rockergurl13, GenesisDragon, CASSIE101, _and _PadfootGal_ (thank you for the compliment. It means a lot to me to be compared to KA Applegate.)


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Hello all! Sorry it's been so long, but as I explained, I was busy with Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. :D great installment to the Harry Potter series. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I'm going to try to finish editing chapter 13 tomorrow or Wednesday so hopefully that will be up soon. We'll see. Enjoy!

**Chapter 12**

**Ax**

Prince Jake had ordered us all to get out. I was the closest to the pool exit which we had come from. I used my tail blade to knock controllers unconscious in the hopes it would allow my friends to get past me safely.

Marco lumbered past me in his gorilla morph, bleeding from several places and some skin on his chest was a hanging flap. He hesitated to leave and watched me from the stairs.

((Go Marco! Prince Jake ordered us to leave.)) I told him. Marco lingered another moment. ((You are injured, you must get to safety.)) Marco hesitated then continued up the stairs, leaving me to deal with the next group of controllers rushing at me alone.

Prince Jake came seconds after Marco left, flanked by Rachel.

((Where's Tobias and Cassie?)) Rachel asked me.

((I have not seen them.)) I stated. I swiveled my stalk eyes around to scan the crowds, all the while I focused on the controllers before me. I spotted Cassie in wolf morph picking up an injured Tobias.

((Prince Jake, Cassie is approximately 25 of your feet to the left. She's picking up Tobias who appears to be injured.))

Rachel snapped her bear head around and let out a roar. I watched as Cassie was blind-sided by a Taxxon which caused her to drop Tobias with a howl. I quickly lost sight of my shorm.

((Tobias!)) Rachel yelled. We watched as Cassie picked herself up and glance around for Tobias.

((Cassie, let's go!)) Prince Jake yelled. Cassie hesitated, still looking for Tobias before following her orders and fought her way towards us. ((Everybody, out.)) Prince Jake said, looking directly at Rachel.

((Nnnoo! Tobias!)) Rachel yelled and started to go after him. Prince Jake let out a roar and leaped in front of her, the tiger in a crouch and ready to pounce if necessary. ((Get out of my way Jake.)) Rachel said, in a tone I could not identify but it sounded threatening.

((No, Rachel. We won't do Tobias any good getting ourselves killed. Now get out.)) Prince Jake said, equally as deadly, gradually stepping closer to Rachel. She unconsciously took steps backwards up the stairs.

((I have to save him.)) Rachel insisted.

((You won't do him any good if you get yourself killed.)) Prince Jake repeated.

Rachel hesitated. She stared down to the yeerk pool; her bear eyes actually showed her human worry. ((We'll save him Rachel. We have to leave and re-group.)) Jake said, and Rachel followed his orders and continued up the yeerk pool steps. Only Prince Jake and I remained, about half way between normalcy and hell.

((Let's go Ax.)) Prince Jake said. He began to walk forward a few steps.

((I'm sorry Prince Jake but))

((Ax, don't call me prince.))

((Yes Prince Jake.)) I said and added ((I must go against your orders.))

((Ax, we'll get Tobias out.)) Jake said, his voice determined.

((Someone needs to))

((Ax, we go. We regroup, and we plan. Only then will we rescue Tobias; after careful planning. Let's go before they come after us.)) He turned to leave and my main eyes followed him. My stalk eyes swiveled around to look behind me.

One way was my Prince whose orders I was supposed to follow. And in the other direction, my shorm, who was injured seriously and quite possibly dead.

I knew what I had to do. I only hoped the others would forgive me for my discrepancy.

((I am sorry Prince Jake.)) I said, before turning around and galloping back to the darkness.

((Ax, NO!)) Prince Jake yelled. I think he was going to say more, but his thought-speak cut short. I knew I was being foolish, but I felt I had to protect Tobias.

"Andalite."

((That is correct.)) I stated. Before I could even twitch my tail, I felt the dracon blast hit my chest.

((AAAHH!)) The setting wasn't very high, but it was still painful. It was enough to knock a full grown hork bajir unconscious. I knew it would momentarily do the same to me. I swayed on my feet and tried to fall with some grace so I wouldn't injure myself too badly.

My vision began to blur and out of the darkness, I could make out the figure of Visser Three, holding a rumpled and bleeding hawk that I knew to be my friend. His laughter rang in my head long after I lost consciousness.

* * *

Thank you to _CASSIE101 (I actually don't know why I had Cassie with Tobias. It just worked out that way when I wrote it, lol!) GenesisDragon, rockergurl13 (maybe, maybe not. We'll just hafta see…though I already know the answer…I cannot disclose it, as it'll ruin my plot. Can't have that now can we…), and LucreziaNoin86 _For the reviews of the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy this one as much as the rest. :D 


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **Wow! All the reviews! I know I said I'd post yesterday, but I went out on a boat with my friends family and I was tired after all the swimming and tubing that I went to bed earlier than usual. I'll try to post more later today or tomorrow, we'll see. :D Glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter. This one was particularly fun for me to write. :D You'll know what I mean after you read it.

**Chapter 13**

**Rachel**

Jake shoved me up the final steps and I allowed him to. I followed the others silently as we snuck back to our hiding place to de-morph.

My anger, rage, sorrow, worry, and depression weighed heavily on my mind as I demorphed. It was all boiling up inside me and I knew the cause.

As soon as I was human, I turned to my cousin. Jake, the leader of the group, the one responsible for getting all of us out alive, the one who failed to get Tobias out. I stormed right up to him, and stopped only once we stood toe-to-toe, glaring into each others eyes.

He looked physically intimidating with his athletic build and me with my supermodel build, didn't look that intimidating. I looked angry, rageful, or about to scratch someone's eyes out. To the onlooker, they would be afraid for me, afraid Jake would do some damage. But they didn't know me. Not one bit. Jake wouldn't hurt me, but I would hurt him.

"You. Let. Him. Go." I said, deadly.

"I know." He said and I could see the self-pity in his gaze. I couldn't have cared less.

"I could have saved him. _We_ could have saved him." I said, getting angrier with him. He said nothing. "Don't you care? God damn it Jake! He could be…He could be…" I chocked up and felt hot tears sting my eyes. I glanced down. I couldn't look in my cousins face and let him see me cry. Not right now.

"I know I lost Tobias. And Ax. It was _my_ call Rachel! You can be mad at me all you want, but we have to re-group. We have to rest." I snapped my head back up, nearly hitting my head on his chin.

"We're not resting! We're not going to relax while Tobias might…"

"Rachel! We have to plan!"

"Yeah, I see how well your plan worked today!" I snapped. Jake hung his head. _Good_, I thought. _Let him be ashamed_.

"I know I probably messed up Rachel. I do care. I know what happened to Tobias could possibly be my fault. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't worry about him. But I'm his friend, and his leader. I _know_ Tobias is a fighter. I _know_ Tobias can take care of himself, and _that_ is why I could leave him down there until we can regroup to save him, even if it tears me up with guilt to do so." Jake paused before continuing. "So Rachel, if you want to be mad? Fine. I don't blame you. But I am NOT going back down there without a well thought out plan." He pointed towards Cassie and Marco behind me. "I am NOT going to send them down there and risk their lives without a plan. We can't help Tobias if we get killed in the process." He stopped and looked at everyone. "We go home. We eat dinner. We hang with the parents. We meet back tonight at nine, Cassie's barn. We'll discuss our plan there."

"You expect me to sit around for four hours wondering if"

"Rachel! I know, but we all have to"

"Get the Chee to take our places!"

"Rachel! I can't deal with you right now! Tom's suspicious enough! I don't need a Chee pretending to be me right now!" He stopped and took a few steps back, looking at each of us before continuing, his eyes resting on mine. "We meet again at nine."

I glared at Jake, I wanted to hit him. I don't know what stopped me.

"Rachel?" Cassie's calm voice said. I spun around to face her for the first time.

"You know Jake's right." She said. I rolled my eyes at her and left. Cassie and the others made sense, but I was beyond the point of reasoning right now. I walked mechanically home, thinking of Tobias, wondering what torture the Visser was putting him through as we sat at home. Safe. Planning.

I walked in my front door and went up to my room and lay down on my bed. I buried my face in my pillow and let out an anguished scream that was muffled to any outsider. I felt tears prick my eyes and a knock at my door.

"What!" I snapped at my little sister as she opened my door.

"Mom said to tell you dinner is done." She said and left, leaving my door open.

I sighed and followed her downstairs. My mom went all out for dinner tonight. She actually made BBQ chicken, cheese potatoes, corn, and a fruit salad. Some of each was piled onto my plate, ready for me to eat. I picked up my fork and poked at the chicken slightly, taking a couple of small bites but not really tasting it. I tried some potatoes, but I felt nauseous all the sudden and just picked at my food with my fork for a few minutes, my mind trailing back to Tobias.

"Rachel?" My mom said. I looked up at her. "Are you feeling ok?" She asked and leaned over to feel my forehead. "You don't feel warm…"

"I'm not hungry." I said before pushing my plat away from me and going upstairs. I got into my room and fell back on my bed when my mom entered the room.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" She demanded.

"I'm not hungry." I repeated.

"Honey, I know you think I don't notice. But you come and you go, some days you're missing clothes or they're torn in some places. Honey, what's going on?"

"nothing." I muttered.

"Are you doing drugs?" She asked. I sat straight up and looked at her incredulously. I had no clue where she got _that_ idea from.

"god no!" I said, feeling disgusted at the suggestion.

"You can tell me honey if you are. It's ok…well, it's not ok that you're doing drugs, but it's ok to tell me. I can try to understand and we can work it out Honey."

"Mom, I am not doing drugs." I stated again, hoping she'd believe me. She sighed.

"you and Jake are getting along better." She stated. What did Jake have to do with anything? I wondered. I shrugged, hoping she'd get to the point.

"Well, just a year or so ago, you hardly ever talked. You even said you didn't have much in common."

"So Jake and I had a few classes together and talk more now. What's the crime there?" I asked. "You talk to your cousins a lot." I added.

"Rachel, are you…well, you seem to spend a lot of your time with Jake lately…" My mind connected the dots. Oh my…lord. My mother thought that….that…

"I AM NOT HAVING SEX WITH JAKE! EW EW EW EW EW!" I yelled. "He's my cousin!" I said with a shudder.

"Honey, you can tell me if you're sexually active with a boy…or well…you know. You can talk to me about it…"

"I am not having sex with anyone. And no, I am not pregnant. And no, I have never had sex and no; I don't feel the need to have sex." I stated, feeling repulsed by the conversation. All this because I wasn't hungry? Why not ask if I was anorexic! Oh god, please don't let that be the next question!

"I just know what being a teenager was like and you know you can talk to me. I wasn't a teen too long ago, remember."

"Ok, Fine, whatever." I said, hoping this conversation would just end.

"Are you sure that you're ok honey?"

"Yes, I'm just not hungry."

She crossed my room and turned around, her arms across her chest. "Close that window, it's freezing in here." She left me alone.

I turned to the window and felt a pang of sadness as I closed it. Tobias would not be flying in that window tonight. Possibly never. I crossed to my desk and opened the drawer and dug around. I pulled out a picture taken just over a year ago. One of Tobias and I. A picture my sister took at random, thinking she had caught me with my boyfriend. (I.E. I stole this from the Animorph TV show, I thought it fit here, so yeah, don't go trying to find this referenced in a book.) We had walked home the day after the night at the construction site. We stood outside on the sidewalk, talking, when Sarah ran outside, holding the camera. Neither of us saw her. We only heard her say "smile" and we turned to look at her as she flashed the camera. Neither of us smiled. I stared at the picture and traced my finger around his outline.

The phone rang and I started, dropping the picture as I let out a gasp of surprise. I stared at the picture as the phone rang twice more before I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rach!" it was Cassie.

"Hey Cass."

"Want to come over and talk?" She asked. I groaned.

"Last time someone wanted to talk, my mom thought I was having sex with Jake." Cassie said nothing. "Long story."

"Obviously." She said, before continuing. "Seriously, want to get together and we can talk about…you know."

"No, it's ok."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll see ya later." I said and hung up. I plopped back on my bed and stare dup at the ceiling.

_I'm coming Tobias. Just hold on._ I thought.

* * *

As always, thank you to _GenesisDragon,LucreziaNoin86, rockergurl13, and CASSIE101. _A new-time thanks to _xiyazaki__ (I'm glad you like it), and Not Asha _For the reviews. I look forward to seeing more in the future (hint hint) Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! 


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **YAY! So glad you all like this:D I am currently handwriting chapter 25 so it looks like this story will be between 30 and 40 chapters. Who knows, maybe longer. I still have lots more to go, and hopefully, the creative juices will keep flowing. I just ask that everyone remain patient. I am so happy with the reviews I have been receiving. I only expected one or two; I really didn't think there were that many Animorph fans still reading fanfics! So, yay! It's a pleasant surprise.

On another note, I wanted to state that the whole thing with Rachel and Her mom in the previous chapter, was just my way of adding some light humor into a dark moment of the story (I'm a lot like Marco in that respect). No I do not think Rachel is having sex with Jake, that is just, as Rachel put it "Ew! Ew! Ew!" I just wanted to make that clear! I am A **R/T** and **J/C** shipper, this story will reflect that. I thought it would also be nice to show that her mom did notice Rachel's odd coming and goings, and that was my way of doing it, I know from experience, parents always assume the worst, and that was my take on Rachel's mom. We did learn later that she was rather…dense about some things…so yeah, there we go. Enough about R/J ((shudders uncontrollably)) And onto the story!

**Chapter 14**

**Tobias**

Pain. Pain in my wing that seemed to explode throughout my body. I could feel it as soon as my mind slowly began it's trek back from the darkness. I couldn't remember what happened or where I was. All I knew was the pain, pain that seemed to cut through me like a knife. Consuming pain that could not leave my mind no matter how hard I tried not to think of it. It always made it's presence known by a throb in my wing that echoed through my body. I let out a groan.

I pried my eyes open and let them adjust to the lighting. When I could finally see properly, I glanced around uncomfortably. I knew I had to morph, but I couldn't. Controllers could be anywhere, even if they were not in this very room, they could be watching. I couldn't risk it. I also don't think I could have concentrated enough to morph if I put my whole mind into it.

I now realized that my wing was bandaged. The bandage was stained the crimson color of blood, but it was repaired all the same. I knew this was odd. It immediately got small doses of adrenaline into my system and made me more alert. Controllers did not want us alive, for long, that much was made clear in the past. Why would they go through the time and energy to repair my messed up wing. It did not make any sense, no matter how hard I tried to think about it. _Least they could have done was given me a pain killer, _I thought as I tried to keep my mind on the tasks at hand.

I finished studying the room. It was more or lessly empty, the walls ceiling, and floor a sterile white. The only thing off setting the white was myself, and the blue Andalite that lay sprawled out on the floor about 5 feet next to me who was seemingly unconscious as I had been moments before.

((Ax?)) I called, trying to work through my muddled mind.

_Think Tobias! We were in the Yeerk pool…oh, the pain_. I mentally shook my head to clear it and pushed the thoughts of pain and tried harder than ever to ignore the feeling it shot through my wing. _Don't think about it. Think about how you got here. Come on Tobias, you remember…_I coached myself, trying to work the memories to my consciousness with little success. I remembered getting into the Yeerk pool and seeing the others battling. Battle images flashed through my mind, A tiger roaring as it slashed, a grizzly bear charging, a wolf running towards me, A flash of blue fur, and then the hork bajir that cut me and Cassie…the wolf…she picked me up, I think…That's when my memory gets sketchy and broken up like watching a satellite TV during a big storm, or so I hear, the picture comes in but it's all static-y and sometimes doesn't stay clear long.

Ax moved slightly.

((Ax?)) I called again, hoping he'd wake up and fill me in on how we got into this mess.

((Tobias?)) Ax said, his voice sounding weak. I saw his emerald eyes open and blink over at me. Ax seemed to get his bearings and pulled his sprawled legs under him and stood up in one semi-fluid motion. He tested his tail and each of his limbs before turning his attention back to me.

((You are hurt.)) He said, looking at my bandaged wing.

((Yeah, I know. The Yeerks must have bandaged me up, but I can't morph. The Visser and the yeerks would know I'm different then.))

((Yes, that would be a problem…)) Ax trailed off, his eyes frowned slightly and he studied me for a moment.

((What?)) I asked, feeling slightly subconscious.

((I have a theory.)) Ax stated. I kept looking at him to go on, hoping his explanation would be fairly simple. I don't think I could handle any in-depth thinking at the moment. ((You know how you can manipulate the DNA of a morph?))

((No…)) Ax rolled his main eyes, a habit he picked up from human.

((How do you think I melted the DNA of Rachel, Marco, Cassie, and Prince Jake to create my human morph?))

((I never really thought about it.)) I admitted.

((Humans,)) Ax said and I could picture him shaking his head at me in exasperation. ((In SIMPLE terms, you can manipulate the genetic coding of DNA. You can't turn a tiger into a bear or what not, but you can change the tigers own DNA pattern within reason. For example, you could change the size, the age you morph, gender, fur length, color, anything that is determined by DNA you can determine yourself, within the limits of the genetic coding.)) My head was beginning to hurt, but what he said made sense.

((So, you're saying you can effect a morph?))

((Yes, in a way. A genetic copy is only the beginning of the morphing technology. I thought you humans knew…as you have never asked questions.))

((I don't think we ever gave it any thought.)) Ax tisked, which was an odd coming from in my head.

((Onto my theory. You are my brothers son, you said he trapped himself in a human morph? My theory is when you morph, you have the animal DNA, of course, but you also have your original DNA pattern, at least some of it, to change back. Even nothlits have to have SOME of their original DNA, because even with the time limit, their DNA would still be there to some extent, but not enough of it to change back.))

((So, you're saying that…))

((If my understanding of biology and my theory is correct, then _you_ carry some of Elphangor's DNA when he was an Andalite and a human.)) Ax finished.

((So, you're saying I should try and))

((Oh no! You can't _morph Elphangor_! Visser Three knows his image too well. No, you need to manipulate the DNA. You need to blend it. It works better with multiple species, but since we're lacking in Andalites on Earth…)) I think Ax was attempting a Marco kind of joke.

((Whoa, you're saying that you want me to))

((Yes, I want you to acquire me and build your own Andalite morph based off of my brother and myself.)) Ax concluded. I was silent. So was Ax. I don't know if it was my pain filled mind or Ax's suggestion, but it just made me feel overwhelmed.

((You need to morph out. What better way than to trick the Visser. Make him believe he really does have two _Andalite_ bandits.))

((Ax..))

It takes concentration. I know you can do it Tobias. I have faith in you. Ax said and I gave in. I had to try. I really was useless as I was and the Yeerks would get suspicious if I didn't morph out.

((OK, I'll do it)) I said finally. Ax picked me up and placed me on his shoulder. I was careful not to dig my talons into his shoulder too far and I concentrated. I felt Ax go slack in the trance that comes from acquiring one's DNA. I finished acquiring and when Ax snapped out of his trance, he took me off his shoulder and placed me back down.

((Now picture Elphangor and myself in your mind. Picture the differences, the similarities but picture the differences and the similarities into one picture. If it is easier, picture him and me next to each other. Visualize every detail you can remember. Concentrate on it, focus on the differences, and merge the images together. Hold what you see and concentrate on the merging. I do want to state, you may want to keep yourself younger. If you go older than myself, the Visser will think you are of a higher rank and will more likely enslave you. Once you have your picture, concentrate and change. Don't think of one of us, but of both.)) Ax instructed. He stayed silent so I could do as he suggested.

I brought the image of Elphangor into my mind. It was an image I couldn't forget. I pictured him as I always thought he would look had he not been injured that night. I saw him standing tall and proud next to his younger brother in our meadow. I focused as Ax had told me to, and I carefully merged the picture, making slight adjustments so the Andalite in my mind did not look off kilter and awkward. As I concentrated, I felt the changes begin.

* * *

**End Note: **I want to state that Ax's theory is my own theory. I realized that KAA never really answered the question to how Ax was able to get his human morph so I kinda took the liberty to explain it in my own way. I also know that Tobias morphs Ax later and gains his andalite morph that way, but I feel this way is more interesting and it works for my story, so if you don't like it, too bad. ;) If I did not explain the theory enough, please state so in the reviews and I'll try to answer any questions, but please note, I am not going to give anyone a biology lesson on shared chromosomes and such. I'm not going to go there, but if you feel I was unclear about my explanation, please ask, I'll try to clear it up to the best of my ability. It's hard for me to word it so people will understand when I understand it so well…so please, if you have any questions, feel free to ask, I know I can sometimes be very vague or explain things in a weird way.

Thank you to: _MercuryMoon__, Purpleroze, rockergurl13, CASSIE101, and GenesisDragon_ for the reviews. I look forward to reviews and they are what keeps me motivated, so many thanks.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **Sorry it's been awhile since the last update, been busy. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I know this chapter is short, but more to come later this week!

**Chapter 15**

**Ax**

I watched Tobias change from Hawk to Andalite. First his feathers changed color to an all too familiar blue. They melted together and split into individual strands of fur. His hawk eyes changed from their golden brown color to the bright green of Elphangor's eyes. Stalks began to sprout from his head and his feathered tail elongated. His hawk body grew and his talons became hooves. Another set of legs sprouted out of his chest. His beak shrank into his face and disappeared altogether. The final changes finished and I was staring at an odd mix of my brother and myself that looked eerily familiar.

((Well?)) I asked him.

((I feel…different than I expected.)) Tobias stated, moving his stalk eyes around. I knew what Tobias would expect when he changed. Andalites are a naturally peaceful and optimistic race. We trained ourselves to become the warriors we are today.

((What did you expect?)) I asked him, curious to get an outside observation on the Andalite mind.

((I don't know…probably something more aggressive…))

Before I could answer, the door, which until this moment had been perfectly blended into the wall, opened with a whoosh of air. In stepped a couple different controllers dressed in white lab coats. Four Hork Bajir controllers flanked them. The scientists studied us both for a moment.

I raised my tailblade, ready to strike if I needed to.

((Tobias, do not use your tailblade, as you do not know how to use it without causing harm, but arc yours like mine, so it looks as if you are prepared to use it.)) I said privately. I saw Tobias raise his tail up another foot or so and forward above the center of his back. I saw him making slight adjustments to make him look more like me. He looked awkward and the movements were not as fluid as they should have been. I made a note to teach Tobias later.

"Don't worry Andalites, we won't hurt you…yet." The first controller said. He was tall for a human. My best estimate would be around 6 feet 2 inches with long brown hair that went down to his shoulders.

"We have something much better planned." The second said. He was shorter, probably about 5 feet 6 inches with blonde hair that was cut short. The first controller held up a hypodermic needle and studied the dosage in the chamber.

((Wait you meddlesome fools!)) A booming voice called. I knew that voice. The voice was Visser Three. ((We cannot use that on both the Andalites. We need to keep one healthy, just in case.)) The Visser's four eyes studied Tobias and then me and back again. His eyes settled on me and the Visser and I stared at each other, eye to eye, All four of them, which was rather difficult being I was shorter than he was. The murderer of my brother and the abomination of my people stood before me and I as a young Andalite cadet who was stranded on Earth with little chance of being rescued and with a duty to destroy the Andalite controller in front of me.

((You.)) He said, and I felt my blood run colder.

* * *

Thanks to: _GenesisDragon_(glad you understood my theory…I had myself confused for awhile :D), _animorph19 _(thanks for the review! I was disappointed KAA never explained that, so I made my own explanation! ;D)_, rockergurl13_ (aw, I feel honored!), and _CASSIE101_ (I hope you're ok…reading your review reminded me a lot of myself…lol! Creepy or what?) 


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **Hey everyone! Sorry it's been awhile, I honestly meant to post this sooner, but then I had to get a hold of my beta because I forgot how far into this she read…(I typed up the majority of what I had wrote the other day). I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter 16**

**Cassie**

I watched Rachel storm off, wondering if Jake were the one trapped, how I would react. Would I rage and do everything reckless to get him back, or would I listen to reason? I hoped I would listen to reason, but reason is hard to come by when you are upset or scared. You never know what your reaction is going to be in any given situation until you have lived it. Jake and I knew Rachel would react like this. We had caught a glimpse at the lengths she would go when David went bad, and it scared me.

Jake's sigh broke me out of my thoughts. He stared for a moment at Rachel's retreating form. I stepped closer to him and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned to me, a smile of reassurance on his face, before he stepped away from me so he could look at both Marco and I, a serious expression on his face.

"Here's what we're going to do"

"Whoa, we're planning without Rachel?" I asked, feeling unsure we should be doing things behind her back. Rachel was already mad enough, let alone if she found out we were planning when she wasn't around. She would want to know what the plan was to save Tobias. She would want to be in that planning.

"Yes, Rachel's not thinking clearly. I need us to be more reasonable than ever." Jake said, looking more pointedly at Marco than me. "Marco, I want you to contact the Erek and the Chee. Have him meet us later at the barn, and have him find out where they are taking Tobias and Ax. We need any information they can give us." Marco nodded and morphed to Osprey before flying away.

Jake and I stood alone in silence.

"Jake?" I asked. He didn't acknowledge me. It was then that I realized how loosing both Tobias and Ax was getting to him. His eyes had a look of sadness and determination. His shoulders were sagged slightly in defeat and I truly felt scared for our situation. If Jake fell apart, there was no way we could save Tobias and Ax. We would all get captured ourselves or killed. I laid my hand back on his shoulders and he turned to me and wrapped his arms around me, dropping his head to my shoulder. I ran my hand through his hair I a comforting way and wrapped my other arm around him, murmuring encouraging words.

"What have I done Cassie?" I heard him say shakily.

"It's not your fault Jake." I said.

"It's my job to get everyone out. I failed." Jake said and I forced him to look me in they eyes.

"No Jake. You haven't failed. You still have me, Marco, Rachel, and most importantly, you. Together, we're going to save them."

"What if we're too late?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We can't be thinking the worst Jake. We have to believe they'll hold on for us."

He was silent and then bent his head down to capture my lips with his. It was a short kiss, but it made me feel weak in the knees all the same. He pulled back and gave me a small smile His arms gave me one last squeeze before denying my body their warmth and taking a step back.

"Thanks." He said.

I smiled. "That's what I'm here for."

"I don't know what I'd do without you Cassie." He said and I felt my heart melt.

"I feel the same way." I said and he was silent again. "Is there anything I can do?" He shook his head.

"You already did it." He said, and I felt pride wash over me. It was good to know I could still find the right things to say. "But if anything, you can try to reason with my cousin. We're going to need her to be level headed if we're going to accomplish anything. Worst comes to worst we'll have to leave her behind. We can't afford anyone to mess this up."

I nodded in understanding. Jake sighed.

"We'll get them back." I said again.

"When you say it, I can believe that it's possible." Jake said. I smiled and felt my insides melt.

"Go home Jake. Go home and rest. You need it." I said and he nodded wearily.

"If Marco gets any information"

"Then we'll deal with it then. Go home and rest Jake."

"You do the same." He said to me. He took my hand and we walked together in silence until we had to part ways. When I got home, I tried calling Rachel. I hoped she'd want to get together and talk things through. Rachel answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rach!" I greeted, trying to sound normal.

"Hey." She said, her voice sounding low and defeated.

"Want to come over and talk?" I asked, hoping she would. She needed to talk to someone. I heard her groan on the other end.

"The last time someone wanted to talk, I found out my mother thought I was having sex with Jake."

I paused for a moment before answering. _Jake! As in, My Jake! _I wondered what would posses her mother to think that…but I pushed those thoughts away. I had other things to deal with at the moment.

"It's a long story." Rachel added. No kidding. I thought.

"Obviously. Seriously, you want to get together and we can talk about stuff?"

"No, it's ok." Rachel responded almost immediately.

"Are you sure?" I asked, hoping she'd change her mind.

"Yeah. Hey, I'll see ya later." She said and hung up the phone. I sighed and followed suite, wondering if my best friend was going to get herself killed.

* * *

Thanks to: _Quillian_(glad to know I'm not the only one…but kinda strange we both had the same thought), _rockergurl13, animorph19 _(I'm not sure if he is or not…but I know I am!), _GenesisDragon_ (oops, thanks for pointing out my mistake…but I feel it works for the story so I'm not going to bother going back and changing, Ax is hard enough to write…), _LucreziaNorin86, CASSIE101 _(that's right! Update soon!), _RasberryGirl_(though you won't read this for awhile, thanks for the review!)

Hopefully the next update will be in a day or so! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, still more to come (though this is getting pretty close to where I'm writing…I'm currently in the middle of writing up Chapter 26…so I gatta get moving again! I like to stay well a head of my posted parts so I know what I can reveal in answering questions!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **Glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter! I had one heck of a day at work and decided to cheer myself up by posting more to my story (don't ask me how that works…) Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter 17**

**Tobias**

The Visser's eyes studied both Ax and me. I held my breath, hoping those eyes would not land on mine. I could see Ax tense up slightly under the stare but he did nothing. I watched him carefully in my peripheral vision. I was ready to back him up, whatever he decided to do.

All four of the Visser's eyes left mine and stayed on Ax. I felt my hearts beat faster and my breathe caught in my throat. I knew he was going to voice his decision and both Ax and I knew one of our fates would be determined.

((You.)) He said, his thought speak booming in my head. ((Will remain. If you survive, you will make a better host body.)) The Visser said and turned to me. I felt my blood run cold. ((Inject this one. He hides behind a bird of prey morph much weaker than his natural form.)) He studied me a second later, as if he might have missed something. He then seemed to mentally shake himself and left as silently as he came.

The doctors looked at each other and shrugged. They advanced towards me and I took a couple of steps back out of reflex. With a Fwapp! Ax knocked the one closest to him unconscious. The Hork Bajir turned to Ax, and fired their dracon weapons at him on low settings. Ax fell to the floor, stunned to silence. I stared at him a moment, unsure of what to do. The second doctor turned to me an icy smile on his face.

I twitched my tail slightly, trying to bury my own human mind into the andalite instincts. The andalite knew how to use the tailblade and how to defend himself, even if I wasn't too sure on it. Without a second though, I felt my tailblade move forward, faster than I could see. I missed the doctor by mere inches and lodged the blade into the wall. I pulled back on it, but it was stuck and I was trapped.

The doctor looked at me amused. "You just made my job easier, Andalite." He said. He tapped the chamber filled with amber liquid three times and pushed the plunger slightly to remove the air from the needle. Some of the liquid streamed from the needle and dripped onto the floor. "This should not hurt one bit." I distinctly remember another doctor in another time and place telling me the same thing before delivering much more than just a slight prick of a needle. Before I could say anything, the controller pushed the syringe into my weak Andalite arms and pushed down on the plunger, pouring the substance into my bloodstream.

He removed the syringe moments later and smiled once more before leaving. I tried pulling on my tail, but it did not budge.

((Ax?)) I called, working harder to remove the blade. Nothing happen and Ax was still silent. My vision blurred and my head felt foggy. After a moment, it passed like it never happened. Strange, I thought, and then it happened again only my ears began to ring slightly and the blurriness spread from the edge of my vision to cover my whole line of sight. I swayed slightly but was jerked back by my tail which still had not budged from the wall. My head began to swim and I felt myself falling to the side before I could stop myself. I heard my blade release itself with a slight pop as I fell onto my left side, loosing myself again in the darkness.

**

* * *

A/N: evil laughter Yes I know, that was terrible, horrible thing to do to you all, but…evil laughter I just had too. :D I hope you all enjoyed this chapter…I liked writing it; though I am slightly torturing my fav character in later chapters…sigh the work of a fanfic writer. gasps when I realized I just revealed more of my plot I know this was short, but review and I'll post another chapter soon (unless work kills me in the next few days…).**

Thanks to: _Quillian__, LucreziaNoin86 _(Yes, I know that was evil, but I like to leave people hanging slightly, plus show both sides of the story…), _animorph19_ (I had to add some J/C in there. Wouldn't have been right if I hadn't ;D), _GenesisDragon_(I laughed like a loon when you pointed that out to me, lol!), and _rockergurl13_ (yes, I did say that. I had to write Cassie's chapters a few times to get it right. Maybe I'm just underestimating the hidden Cassie within. ;D )


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **I know, I know, two chapters in twenty-four hours, I must be ill! (actually, I got all the chapters I have wrote beta-ed so all I hafta do is review and post :D ) I hope you all enjoy the treat, there probably will be another tomorrow or the next day. It depends how busy I get. :D Enjoy!

**Chapter 18**

**Marco**

I was at home, enjoying a good game of basketball on the tube when the phone rang. I glanced at the clock which was a quarter past eight. I knew then that it was one of four people. The first, my dad saying he was going to be late from work, obviously, as he was supposed to be home about 3 hours ago. The second, Some annoying sales person trying to sell me something before they have to close up shop, not bothering to listen to reason that they are not a. dealing with the man in charge of the bills, phone, household, cable, internet, or whatever else they can think of and b. not caring that I am a minor though I repeat it several times. Third, it could be some hot girl from school calling to profess her undying love to me. Less likely, but ya never know, it could happen. Fourthly, and most likely, it would be Jake or Erek informing me of my evening which will involve screaming in terror, nightmares, and lots of blood and gore. Viva invasion! And my dad thinks he had it bad as a teenager? I crossed over to the phone and answered it.

"Hey Marco, it's Jake." He said, before I got a chance to say hello.

"How do you know it's Marco? I could be the burglar breaking into Marco's house and being nice and leaving phone messages, or I could be Marco's assistant, paid to answer calls because he's too busy being"

"Hey Marco." Jake said again, pointedly. I sighed.

"Hey Jake." I gave up, Jake wasn't in the mood for my humor and I wasn't about to share it with someone who wasn't going to appreciate it.

"Erek called. He had break through on our science project." I paused for a second and felt my mind go blank. Science project! When did we get assigned a Science project! I know I fell asleep during… "He wants us to get together ASAP." Jake stressed. I felt myself relax. Oh, it was only code for Erek has info on Ax and Tobias that will give us nightmares for the rest of our living lives. Good thing we didn't have a science project…maybe I should ask Jake later, just to make sure…?

"Now?" I asked, wondering what kind of horrific news Erek had for us this time.

"Yes. Now. The project is due in two days." Jake stated, and I wasn't sure what the code was for that, but whatever. I'll find out later.

"Yeah, ok, I'll be there." We hung up and I quickly scribbled a note to my dad that I had gone to work on some homework with Jake and I'd be home in time for curfew (yeah right!) and not to wait up for me. I went to my room and shut the door, opened the window and morphed to osprey and flew towards Cassie's barn, an all too familiar route for me. Jake, Cassie, and Erek were already waiting for me.

"So, what's the deal? What kind of nightmares are we gonna have tonight?" I asked after I demorphed.

"Erek?" Jake stated. The three of us watched as Erek changed his hologram to a building unknown to me.

"Tobias and Ax are being kept at the VanDraken testing company. This place has maximum security and labs all over it. Our sources tell us the Visser is planning to inject one of the 'andalite bandits' tonight. We could not find out which one, before anyone asks. The council of thirteen was unhappy with your break in, but pleased at the capture. Though, they are annoyed the Visser did not infest them immediately."

"OK, so we morph bug and we get in? Nothing we haven't done before. Do I care ask what's the problem, judging by everyone's long faces?" I asked.

"Once we morph, then what? Erek said it has Max. security, meaning both human and Yeerk. Where do we re-morph to save Tobias and Ax." Cassie translated. That could be a slight problem.

Erek's hologram changed. It moved into the front doors and into the elevator to the 11th floor of 32. he stepped out and turned to the left. At the end of the hall, a right and another left before stopping at a door. The door opened to reveal an office. "This is the only known room with no cameras or morph detectors where you could morph safely, if no one was currently in it."

"And where are Tobias and Ax held?"

"On the 15th floor." Erek stated. Four floor difference. During that time, we could be killed or worst, captured. Free or dead, we once vowed that with the free hork bajir colony. The simple minds of the hork bajir spoke all that we were standing for. We'd all rather die than be slaves in our own minds. I think most people could agree to that.

"Erek, can the Chee help us in any way?" I asked.

"I cannot provide a hologram to help you sneak past controllers you would potentially harm."

"Even if they would harm us? Look, just get us safely to the 15th floor and we promise not to hurt anyone, deal?" I said. Jake glared at me and turned to Erek.

"Like Marco said. We don't harm them unless they harm us. Get us to the 15th floor, and we'll take it from there." Erek looked uncertain.

"What is going on here!" An angry voice demanded.

We all turned to see Rachel standing in the doorway. Her face was red and her eyes were fiery. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides. I felt a chill going down my spine. I did not like the vicious look in her eyes. It scared me more than any controller could ever do. Note to self, do not hold secret meetings behind Rachel's back.

* * *

I know, I know, you all want to know what's happening to Tobias and Ax, but I hafta account for the others ATM, so I'm sorry that they come first…but that's the way the cookie crumbles for this author. Plus I promise another post within 48 hours, so there shouldn't be much complaining ;) though some death threats have been known to motivate me in the past ;) but that usually means there's a huge cliffhanger, so do think about that before you threaten to kill me so I'll post quicker ;) Hope you all enjoyed! (I think I drank too many caffinated beverages at work earlier...It's starting to mess with my mind...)

As always Thanks to: _LucreziaNoin86_ (hhhmmm, in-ter-esting point…maybe I should re-think MY logic…), _rockergurl13_ (glad you enjoyed the last one..there's more Cassie chapters coming up in later chapters, so hopefully I don't disappoint), _GenesisDragon_ (thought you'd like that analogy ;) ), _Quillian_ (yes, I'm evil and I acknowledge the fact. I purposely think up plot twists to make my readers hate me even more, but entertain myself never-the-less. :DI know I would hate reading one of my own stories; if I wasn't the author and didn't already know the plot…evil laughter though sometimes knowing the plot can get in the way of enjoying a well written cliffie. glad you enjoyed)


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **I promised a chapter in 48 hours and I have come through on my promise (though I'm cutting it short) :D I'm hoping you all enjoy this chapter, and I'm not sure when the next one will be. I'll try for 48 hours again, but it probably won't happen. Hope you enjoy this chapter, though it is shorter.

**Chapter 19**

**Rachel**

I left early for our meeting. I figured it couldn't hurt to talk things over with Cassie. Besides, I wanted to get as far away from my mother as possible. I couldn't look at her without shuddering.

As I approached the barn, I could hear voices chatting away. I frowned, thinking it might be Cassie's parents. Usually Cassie was always found in the barn, so it wouldn't be unusual for me to go in there looking for her first. As I walked in the opened barn door, I froze at what I saw. Jake, Cassie, Erek, and Marco. Talking plans. Without me.

"What is going on here?" I demanded, feeling my anger resurface. The talking ceased and they all stared at me. Poor pitiful Rachel with her boyfriend captured that she can't be of any use to us. That's what their expressions read. That and shock. That's right, they didn't think I'd find out. Well that's what they get for assuming.

"Rachel"

"I know what this looks like Cassie." I said, and laughed bitterly. "It looks like a meeting. But it wouldn't be a meeting, without me present, now would it?"

"Rachel" Cassie started again and I shot her a glare.

"Did you really want to talk to me Cass? Or was that a play to have 'Rachel accidentally' here!" I demanded. I never yelled at Cassie. Ever. In the years we've been friends, we've fought, disagreed. But we never yelled at each other. Not like I am right now.

Cassie looked away from me and I swore I saw a guilty look on her face. Good, I thought. She should be guilty.

"Rachel, we couldn't plan with you around."

"Like hell you could!" I yelled at Jake. Jake my cousin. I thought he would understand me. He knows what makes me tick; he made that clear after the whole David fiasco. This just proves once and for all that Jake doesn't know me as well as he thinks he does.

"Rachel, we needed a plan, we needed to view the angles. I'm not going to bring us back in without a solid plan. I won't repeat myself again. I wanted us to start the process of planning before you got here, so if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me." Jake stated and added "I figured if we had everything planned, we could just"

"Do the mission without me!" I demanded. Jake looked like he wanted to hit me. That's ok, I wanted to hit him too.

"Cassie wanted to include you and I said no. And Marco? He's just following my orders."

"Hey!" Marco objected. Jake shot him a glare and Marco piped down.

"I _have_ to do what I think is best for the team. If you're unwilling or unable to work as a team, no one will hold it against you, but I _can't_ have _you_ jeopardizing everyone else." I stared at Jake and he stared back. At that moment, I realized that Jake was destined to do this. To be the leader of the Animorphs. He was the one who gave orders to everyone else to be followed. He knew what he was doing and the team needed me. More importantly, Tobias needs me.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." I said and Jake smiled at me and they filled me on the planning so far.

* * *

Thanks to:

**_rockergurl13: _**I actually got that from a phone conversation with my friends and I. I was pretty much Marco, sept I was hoping for a hot guy from school ;D, and my friend was pretty much Jake. :D Gatta love real life stuff to incorporate into a story

**_Shadow: _**eeehhh, can't say. You'll find out next chapter, though I'd love to give you an answer…you'll find out in the next chapter.

**_GenesisDragon: _**well, when I was writing it I never specifically said who worked there…,I actually double checked my writings, which I add, is a first, and I'm not going to say the whole 'because I'm the author, I'm making it that way' I actually have a thought process on that one. I originally had it wrote as a completely Yeerk controlled corp. BUT, then I remembered, as I was typing that chap up, that Marco's dad helped developed a Z-Space something or other, and he didn't have a yeerk in his head all the while he worked for a company that had to have some kind of yeerk control. So, as my theory would go, they haven't completely infested all the staff yet, but they are doing so gradually, hence why there is still precautionary measures needed to be taken for any innocent bystander plus the whole Erek thing was refering about the Animorph's vs. the Yeerks. I guess I could have made that clearer. Erek technically can't help them if they are asking his help to potentially harm even the Yeerks, and that would still be beyond Erek's programming. Does that make any sense on the previous chapter? I tend to OVER-explain things and make it more confusing than it really is. :D Hope that clears stuff up

**_LucreziaNoin86: _**everyone has to be weird in their own way..or else everyone would be the same and the world would be a boring place. Btw: from my A/N's I think you can tell I have a weird streak myself…including my tendency to ramble on for pages at a time…maybe that's why I make a good writer…

**_Quillian: _**well…yeah…in a way…I don't want to reveal too much soI guess I'll just leave it like that…


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Arg, sorry for the delay in this chapter, it has been a rough week! I've been so busy between work and other things that I have not had any time to work on this at all! I've been trying to read a few good books before summer is out and school starts again and my goal of finishing this seems to be pushed back, since I haven't even looked at any new chapters in a week…sighs Anywho, I just wanted to let you all know that this story is not on the backburner, I still have a couple more chapters to post before I'm caught up to where I am currently at. I was working so diligently I had to take a break from it because the newest chapters weren't coming out right. But hopefully I'll be able to write a few more chapters this weekend, b/c I finally got a few days off work where I can relax and write to this some more! So YAY! All I ask is that you be patient with me a few more days and hopefully you'll see another chapter a lot sooner! I really didn't mean for this to be so long between posts! Hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter 20**

**Tobias **

((Tobias?)) A voice echoed in my mind.

((Argh.)) I groaned as I resumed consciousness and opened my eyes. All four of them.

((Tobias, you must morph back. You have only approximately two of your minutes left.)) Ax told me, urgently.

I worked through the fog that gathered in my mind and concentrated on the hawk DNA inside of me and felt the changes begin. I was back to my own body moments later.

((How are you feeling Tobias?)) Ax asked me, looking concerned.

I had to pause and think about the question. Honestly? I felt fine. My mind was still muddled from loosing consciousness, but other than that…I felt nothing unusual. I shared this with Ax and he looked slightly relieved.

((Any hopes of getting out of here?)) I asked him. I saw Ax looking back at me, a faint look of concern and regret still there.

((Ax?))

((I am sorry Tobias.))

About…?

((I tried to))

((Ax, there was nothing you could have done. I'm fine. Honestly. Let's figure out a way out of here and we can talk about this later.)) I suggested and I saw Ax give me his strange, yet familiar, Andalite smile. With my hawk hearing, I could pick up the sound of a tiger roaring and dracon beams being fired. Ax and I looked at the door and then back at each other, Ax's smile was more noticeable now.

At the same time we looked away, the door to our 'cell' was pulled off. Literally. I knew it had to be a by-product of the Chee. None of our morphs, not even Rachel's elephant could have pulled that metal door off the hinges like that. Ax ran out of the cell and I concentrated on morphing. There was no way a red-tailed hawk was going to fair well in this place. As I was half completed with my hork bajir morph, a grizzly bear came barreling through the now open doorway.

((Tobias!))

I finished the morph and answered her back with an ((I'm fine Rachel.))

((Are you really?)) She asked me.

((Yes. Now come on, let's go.)) I said and we left and together with the other Animorphs, we fought ourselves out of the building with minimal damage.

Erek projected a hologram around us while we demorphed. Most people would find it odd to see a kid, a hork bajir or 'alien', grizzly bear, gorilla, tiger, and a wolf walking down the street together.

"Are you guys ok?" Jake asked Ax and I. Ax went to his human morph and I stayed as a hawk. I had this funny feeling all the sudden that didn't go away. I wasn't sure what it was, but I just ignored it.

((Yeah.)) I told the others. ((We're fine.)) Ax looked at me but he said nothing. I could see the accusation there. He felt I was lying and keeping things from my 'prince'; but I wasn't lying. Not really, we're fine. Both of us. The others don't need to know I was injected with a 'disease' that didn't even work. But I was grateful for Ax's silence. I didn't want Rachel to worry about me; more than she already does.

The others began to leave and I was about to take off when Rachel stopped me.

"Don't go Tobias." She said. "Walk with me." Her blue eyes were pleading and I knew she was worried about me more than she would tell me. I sighed mentally and morphed to human. After I completed the morph, my head felt slightly woozy and for a moment, I thought I was going to be dizzy but it passed as soon as it came. Rachel kept looking at me, a concerned look present in her eyes.

I gave her a small smile. "Let's go." I said and she took my hand in hers and we walked behind the others in companionable silence.

* * *

Thanks to:

GenesisDragon: I hope I cleared things up, but it doesn't seem like I did. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

rockergurl13: You're probably on track if I'm thinking you're thinking what I'm thinking…if that makes any sense, lol!

kole17: I'm glad you stumbled across my story and enjoyed it.

Quillian: As always, it's a pleasure to see you're reviews. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, more to come, I promise.

LucreziaNoin86: I am now on a mission to be able to spell you're A/N without double and triple checking every post by the end of this story. :D I hope you enjoyed and 'we'll see what happens next' shortly. ;D


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: **ducks all the tomatoes thrown yes, yes, I know, it's been awhile, and I've tried, really I have. But my friends are demanding my attention, something about living like a hermit or something…rolls eyes whatever. I'm hoping to actually complete the writing of this story this week, before I loose everything that is now stored into my brain, which will mean I then have to type up and have beta-ed about…15 chapters…if my estimate is correct. sighs I hope to be able to post again later this week, since I'm leaving for vaca on Monday and I'm sure you all don't want to wait two weeks for the next update. cringes at the thought of mad reviewersHope you all enjoyed the next chapter, and happy reading!

**Chapter 21**

**Tobias **

It was the next day after the others had rescued Ax and I from the Yeerks. I was still feeling like I could be sick, but I shrugged the feeling off as a mental problem; like knowing I was injected with something that was supposed to make me sick was making me paranoid about it that I was making myself feel sick.

I also know that hawks do get sick. It might be a by-product of stress on my bird body or something. I saw them all the time at Cassie's barn, but a voice in the back of my mind told me Yes, but those hawks don't morph.

Oh Stop it! I yelled at myself. You're being paranoid.

((Tobias?)) I looked down and saw Ax standing below me. I honestly did not see or hear him arrive. The thought disturbed me a bit but I kept it to myself.

((Hey Ax.)) I said.

((Tobias…I want you to know…I am honored that we are related.))

((Thanks Ax. That means a lot.)) Ax smiled at me with his eyes.

((If you want…I could teach you how to use you're andalite morph. You must be curious…I know I would be.)) Ax offered. If I were human, I would have had the look of a little kid on Christmas morning. I was giddy. I wanted to learn how to use the andalite morph, but I was too afraid to ask Ax. Only…that meant I would have to morph. I wasn't so sure I should be doing it now…ya know, just in case.

((Yeah Ax, that would be cool. I have to meet Rachel today though. Maybe later?)) I said. Ax nodded in his weird way by keeping his stalk eyes still. He turned and left and I flew off my branch and into the air and set course for Rachels. I wasn't supposed to meet her today, but I knew she wouldn't object to my presence. The others had a half day of school, something about one of those school improvement days when only the staff reports, but no new changes happen at the school so you wonder what the point of the day was, but happy you got a half day.

I flew into Rachel's open window and landed on her desk. She wasn't in the room and her bedroom door was closed. I settled myself onto her desk and began to preen some feathers. A few minutes later, her door opened and she looked at me, surprised.

"Tobias!"

((Hey Rachel.)) I greeted, looking up to her.

"What's up?" She asked, looking back at me, a slight frown on her face.

((I'm fine Rachel.)) I reassured her, though I wasn't completely reassured myself. She kept looking at me skeptically.

"You know, my mom's at work and my sisters won't be home for a couple of hours, if you want to hang out with me." She said.

I mentally weighed my options. I could stay with Rachel for the day and be, for the most part, happy, or go off on my own and just be lonely. The look on her face alone made any resolve I could have had leave me.

((Sure.)) I said and opened my wings to land on her floor. I morphed to my human self and my earlier light headedness came back. I closed my eyes briefly until the feeling past and opened them again. Rachel had left the room and I glanced at her quote board to see if she had any new ones from the last time I was there.

_"If you do it, you'll regret it  
__if you don't do it, you'll regret it  
__Either way, you're going to regret it  
__So you might as well just do it."_

I smiled as I read it. The quote was so Rachel. She had other one's that I had seen before that read:

_"Life without danger is a waste of oxygen."_

_"Death is instant, pain will end, glory is forever."_

_"You only live once…but if you live it right, once is enough."_

_"To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail." –Michael Jordan_

_"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." –Anonymous. _

As I finished reading the last quote, Rachel stepped into her room from her adjoining bathroom and tossed a bag at me. I clumsily caught it and looked at her curiously.

"I thought you'd be more comfortable in real clothes." She said.

"What, you don't like the outfit?" I asked her, teasingly. Rachel wrinkled her nose in a look of disgust.

"There is nothing sexy about that." She said. I stared at her, dumb founded and I felt my face grow warm so I looked away from her gaze and tried to stop my thoughts before I became a bumbling idiot in front of her. Rachel just grinned at me and left the room so I could change.

I stood there like an idiot for a moment before I could snap myself out of my stupor and opened the bag that Rachel had tossed at me earlier. Inside the bag was a pair of designer jeans from Abercrombie and Finch with a maroon colored t-shirt with the company logo. I sighed before slipping the clothes over my morphing outfit. I figured why bother changing out of it?

I opened Rachel's door and she turned around to give me a once over, like I was her personal ken doll or something. I don't mind, but I'm just not used to being fussed over quite so much. Her nails scratched my scalp as she attempted to style my hair. Why she was bothering, I don't know, but whatever made her happy. Her fingers left my hair and she took a couple of steps back and gave me a grin that showed her perfect white teeth and she took my hand before leading me downstairs. About half way down, I felt slightly light headed again and my face grew hot with a fever.

"Whoa.." I felt myself sway slightly and I pulled my hand from Rachel's so I could hold my hand over my forehead and hold onto the stair railing with the other.

"Tobias?" Rachel asked, turning around to look at me.

I didn't answer her for a moment, I couldn't. I felt a sharp pain behind my eyes and it caused me to wince in pain. As the same time, I began to feel slightly dizzy. I closed my eyes again until the feeling passed. When I opened them again, I found I had somehow sat down during my episode and Rachel was now sitting next to me with a concerned look in her eyes.

"Tobias!"

"I'm ok." I said, automatically.

"The hell you are!"

"I'm fine, I just felt light headed and dizzy for a moment. I'm fine now."

"That was longer for a moment! I kept trying to get you to tell me what was wrong…I was about to call an ambulance or something!" Rachel said, her voice slightly hysterical.

"It's gone now. I'm fine." I stressed. Rachel gave me another skeptical look. "I'm fine." I said again, but I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince Rachel or myself.

* * *

Thanks to:

Quillian: Great story! Can't wait for the next update. Hope you liked this chapter.

LucreziaNoin86: mmmmmm….squirms well, I hafta state that Rachel and Tobias are my fav couple…but that doesn't necessarily mean anything…Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

rockergurl13: creepy. Very very creepy (about being on the same thought pattern). Twice in one story is never a good sign. sighs looks like I need to figure out a heck of a plot twist…

GenesisDragon: well, that's with the earlier talks of the yeerks developed a disease that can effect morphing, or gets stronger with DNA change. I have no clue on the logistics of how it works, but it works (I swore I never would use that 'I'm the author so that's they way it is thing', but I guess I spoke too soon). I literally had this come to me in a dream from last chapter on and I tried to make my own explanations to things and yeah, that's what I came up with. I know logically the illness or whatever would have morphed out, but for sake of the story…I'm sure I don't hafta spell it all out for ya.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: **Hey all, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. As I am leaving for Vacation on Monday and won't be back until that weekend, I'm going to triple post today, and then I'm going to hafta do some major typing, so maybe I'll bring my laptop with me so all I hafta do is send everything to my beta. :D I hope you all enjoy the following chapters, I'll address reviews at the end of the last chapter.

**Chapter 22**

**Rachel **

Tobias and I sat downstairs on the couch. We turned on the TV and left it on some day-time talk show. Neither of us were paying any attention to it. I was too busy studying Tobias and he was too busy pretending nothing was wrong. His cheeks were slightly flushed and his forehead had a thin sheen of sweat on him, despite the fact it was relatively cool in the house. His earlier episode on the stairs had scared me. It made me think that maybe he had been injected with the Yeerks disease and he was hiding it from me. It's not the first time he's hidden his problems from me and it probably won't be the last.

Tobias's face turned to me looked into my eyes and I noticed a tiredness behind his hazel orbs that I never noticed before.

"I'm fine." He told me again, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Stop lying to me." I said and continued to stare into his eyes. He sighed.

"Look, I know that dizzy spells don't just happen, but I feel fine now. I probably just moved wrong or something. It happens." Tobias reasoned. I stared at him skeptically. His reasoning was too logical to be true. I sighed and decided to drop the subject. Knowing it would just lead to an argument and a battle of wills that I didn't have the energy to fight at the moment. After the day before, all I wanted was to spend as much time as possible with him. It didn't have to be in any adult way, I'll take just sitting on the couch staring blankly at the TV. I was content as long as I was with him. Though the later option had crossed my mind several times; but I knew we weren't that far in our relationship. Tobias is still working on not flinching when we hold hands and I was working on being more open with him. It always seems Tobias knows exactly what to say to make my heart melt, but I never have those right words ready for him. I guess it'll all work out in the end. I glanced quickly at the clock and stood up abruptly, causing Tobias to startle.

"Sorry, oh gosh! I can't believe the time!" Tobias looked at me quizzically.

"I still have over a hour in morph…"

"No! I'm not talking about that! Jordan and Sarah will be here soon!" I panicked slightly. I could not let my sisters catch Tobias here. My mom already thought I was having sex with Jake, I don't want her to think I'm having sex with Tobias. Tobias looked at me, slightly amused, or maybe he was cringing…it's hard to tell with him.

"I can't let them see you! My mom already thinks I'm having sex with Jake…"

"WHAT?"

"long story."

"Yeah.." He muttered, trying to work out what I said in his mind.

"Come on!" I grabbed his hand and shoved him up the stairs when the front door opened. I froze.

"Rachel!" Jordan called, then saw me half way up the stairs. I prayed she didn't catch a glimpse of Tobias, or hear the stairs creak as he carefully made his way upstairs to my room. I turned around and hoped my sisters didn't notice my slight look of panic.

"Hey Jordan, how was school?" I asked, realizing my mistake as soon as I said it. Jordan looked at me skeptically.

"Since when do you care how school was?" She asked me. I shrugged.

"I can't care about my sister?" I demanded. Before she could answer, Sarah ran up to me and hugged me. "Rachel!" She yelled. Sarah was still too young to care if I acted slightly uncharacteristically with them. But Jordan, well, she could sense trouble. It was really annoying.

"What have you been up to?" She asked me.

"Just chillin." I said, which wasn't a complete lie. Jordan studied me for a moment before heading up the stairs. I really hoped Tobias was gone or hidden.

"Rachel!" Sarah called as she tugged on my jeans. I knelt down to look her in the eyes.

"yes Sarah?"

"Can you help me with my homework? It's hard." She said, looking at me with those puppy eyes she has had perfected for years.

"yes, I will. I just have to go and check on something real quick, you get started without me and I'll be back in a second." Sarah nodded enthusiastically and ran into the kitchen, her bookbag bouncing on her back.

I headed up the stairs and headed into my room and closed the door behind me.

"Tobias?" I said in a stage whisper. I glanced around to see if he had left. On my desk, my notebook was open to a fresh page with handwriting on it that was not my own.

_Meet me tonight; the cliff._

I smiled in relief, knowing Tobias had left but felt slightly disappointed.

"Ra-chel!" Sarah called.

"Coming!" I yelled and left my room, thinking about tonight.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**Tobias **

Rachel met me at the cliff. I stayed hawk as long as possible. I still wasn't completely well from earlier that day. I still felt off my game. Rachel had already demorphed and was looking at me expectantly. I sighed and morphed to human.

I instantly felt my mind grow fuzzy. I could not form a thought nor hear Rachel's panicked cries. I had a faint buzzing in my ears that kept getting louder. Rachel's mouth was moving with silent words. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I felt like someone had put their hand around my stomach and was squeezing it with their every bit of strength. The pain and nausea were consuming. At the same time, the explosion of sudden light hurt my eyes and made my brain explode and the drummer take up residence, my head pulsating with his beat. I felt instantly faint and started to sway.

Rachel grabbed my shoulder and looked concernedly at me. I tried to tell her I wasn't feeling well, but I couldn't form the words. She seemed to understand and helped to ease me down so I was leaning against a tree. I pulled my legs up to my chest and rested my head on them. I was sweating and panting slightly. I knew Rachel was scared, but I couldn't say anything to re-assure her. My mind was too muddled and painfilled to be of any use.

I tried to think about demorphing…I knew I could thoughtspeak..maybe. I felt the changes begin and I wondered briefly if some higher power was helping me. I knew I couldn't concentrate enough to speak, let alone dimorph. As soon as I was hawk, my brain cleared slightly. The illness ran different in the hawk body, but not that much. I still couldn't think and had a headache, obviously was running a high fever still, and I felt like I could vomit. I didn't even know birds could vomit. Go figure.

"Tobias?" I heard Rachel say, distantly, like she was hundreds of yards away from me.

((I don't…)) I started to say and my vision blurred and my mind went numb.

"You what!" Rachel demanded. "Come on Tobias, talk to me here."

((I don't…feel…right.)) I said, feeling the darkness taking over my mind again.

"Stay awake Tobias. Just stay awake." I heard her say, her voice even further away.

((O….ka…y…)) I said, feeling weaker by the minute. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I wasn't going to let myself. I wouldn't disappoint Rachel.

((It's going to be ok Tobias. Cassie will know what to do.)) Rachel's voice came from in my mind. I couldn't comprehend what she was talking about. What's a Cassie? My brain asked. I lost the ability to keep my eyes opened.

((Cassie?)) I said, still unable to figure out what a Cassie was.

((Yes Cassie. I felt myself being picked up and in motion. It made me feel queezier. We're almost there Tobias. Just hold on a bit longer.))

My mind was almost asleep. I couldn't hold on much longer and not as long as Rachel wanted and needed me too. I gave into sleep as I heard Rachel calling my name in my head. I'm sorry, I thought, Just too tired…


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Rachel **

((Tobias! Tobias! Answer me, damn it!)) I yelled. I had morphed to wolf faster than I ever had before. I figured the wolf was fast, not as fast as a grizzley, but it was less risk of hurting Tobias as a wolf.

Tobias remained silent and I knew he was either asleep or unconscious, I didn't know which. I knew hew as alive; I could feel him breathing in my jaws. I ran as fast as I could. I flew through the woods as a flash of grey. I ran so fast that the wolf in me was telling me to slow to stop; but I pushed it further; I would not take no for an answer.

After what seemed like an eternity, I broke from the trees near Cassie's farm and I headed into the barn; knowing no one would be out there that late. I set Tobias down and demorphed. I carefully picked him up again and set him down on a hay bale. "I'll be right back" I told him and broke into a run to Cassie's house after seeing she wasn't out with the animals. When I was almost to the house, Cassie emerged from it.

"Rachel?" She asked, looking surprised. I skidded to a stop, breathing heavily.

"Tobias…sick…barn…" I panted out between gasps. Cassie seemed to have understood and ran for the barn, me in tow, exhausted from my journey. Cassie knelt down beside Tobias and frowned.

"Is he ok?" I asked.

"I don't know. He doesn't look…I should get my dad or my mom, they would know what to do."

"Cassie, we can't!" I said urgently. She sighed and looked defeated.

"We'll have to try and figure out what's all wrong."

"How long is that going to take?" I asked, fearing the worst for Tobias.

"I don't know." Cassie said, her voice defeated.

"Cassie! You've got to! You're the expert!"

"No I'm not! I've never….I don't diagnose. My parents can…"

"NO! We can't have you're parents involved." Cassie sighed, knowing I was right.

"Tell me everything you know." Cassie said.

"What?"

"About Tobias. Symptoms, when it started, anything."

I felt my mind grow blank. I shook myself mentally. Think Rachel Think!

"I don't"

"Yes you do!" Cassie said urgently. I closed my eyes and recounted my day with Tobias. She nodded and looked thoughtful.

"Look, I'm going to do a couple of tests, you go and call the others. We need to figure out what to do." Cassie said and picked up Tobias and left my sight. I sighed and crossed to the barn phone, feeling more scared than I ever thought possible.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** As I said before, I hope you guys all enjoyed these last few chapters. I know I haven't posted in awhile, so I'm trying to make up for this week and the following now. As I said earlier, this is all I have typed up, I have up to chapter 32 written, so I'll hafta do some typing. Hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter 25**

**Jake **

After hanging up with Rachel, I carefully snuck out of the house as a peregrine falcon. I got to Cassie's barn in record time and demorphed.

Rachel was not there, but Cassie was working with a hawk.

"New patient?" I asked and she spun around, startled. Rachel had not told me why we needed to meet, only that it was an emergency to get my butt here pronto. I started to ask Cassie why we were here when I realized that I recognized the hawk Cassie was working with.

"Tobias?" I asked, feeling my blood run cold.

"Rachel was with him earlier. Jake, he's really sick. He's sporting a temperature too high for a hawk to handle."

"OK, so he morphs and he's fine, right?"

"He's unconscious, Jake, and most likely won't regain it…at least, not long enough to morph." I let her words sink in. I could not loose a member of this team. Tobias especially was too important. Before I could say anything more, A great horned owl and a Harrier flew into the barn. They both demorphed and Ax and Rachel stood before me.

((Prince Jake, I feel I should tell you))

"Ax, don't call me prince."

((Yes pri-Jake. I feel I should tell you that while Tobias and I were held hostage, he was injected with the Yeerks morphing disease…we didn't feel it worked, as Tobias felt no different..))

"You could have told us sooner!" Rachel yelled

"Rachel!" I snapped. "Thanks ax. OK, so Morphing is out…Where's Marco?" I asked, realizing I was missing another team member.

"He said he couldn't make it. Father-Son night or something." Rachel told me.

"Cassie, is there anything we can do for Tobias?" I asked her. She shook her heard.

"I can try and get his temp down, but without knowing what we're dealing with, well, it'll be hard to know what to do."

"So we go back to the pool or the lab and kidnap a doctor and torture the cure out of him or her." Rachel said, her voice deadly. I just stared at her a moment. We all did. I couldn't believe she would suggest such a thing, but thankfully I didn't have to dignify the comment with a response because Tobias stirred.

"Tobias?" Rachel asked, her eyes looking hopeful.

"Tobias, you have to morph." Cassie said, her voice gentle.

((OK)) Tobias said, his voice sounding weak, and we all knew he didn't comprehend the command.

"Tobias, focus." Cassie said, her voice sharper, firmer.

I am. Tobias said, his voice slightly stronger.

"Try harder. You can't stay as a hawk." Cassie said her voice sharper.

((I know.)) Tobias said, sounding weak again. No one said anything but watched anxiously as Tobias preformed the slowest morph in the history or morphing…well, I'd have to verify that with Ax first, but I'm fairly certain Tobias won the award. Once his morph was complete, He swayed slightly on his feet and I rushed over to catch him before he fell, Rachel seconds behind me, supporting his other side.

"Thanks." Tobias mumbled, his eyes barely half-mast and his face paler than a sheet of paper. Rachel and I carefully eased him down so he was sitting against a hay bale. I backed away as Rachel sat next to him, stroking his hair off his sweat soaked forehead.

I glanced away and looked at Cassie. Her eyes looked back at me, full of concern and sadness. We both knew what would inevitably happen to Tobias. Even if by some miracle we could get back into the building, we were sure the Yeerks would have moved their research and tracking it down would take time. And time was not on our side. In two hours, Tobias would have to morph again or become trapped. Most likely, trapped. I don't think he could perform another morph. He could barely make it through this one.

"Tobias, can you---"

"He's gone again." Rachel said, and I noticed tears in my cousin's eyes. Cassie walked over to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Rachel shrugged it away.

"He's going to be fine." She said, her voice determined.

"What are we going to do?" Cassie asked me, and I had no answer for her.

Suddenly, all movement stopped. No sound came from the animals and they were frozen in place.

"YES!" A voice yelled. We all turned around and saw Marco standing with us, his arms up in the air, looking triumphant. He froze when he realized where he was and then groaned.

Ellimist. Ax sneered.

"Looks like it." Another voice said. We all turned and stared. Behind me, was a sick Tobias who was probably in a coma or something. In front of me stood another Tobias who was perfectly healthy. I glanced between the two, feeling my head hurt. I felt someone shove past me and looked to see my cousin and the second Tobias locked in a rather heated kiss. Marco opened his mouth and I hurried to place my hand over it. I glanced at Cassie and she looked hesitant.

YES, IT IS I. A voice around us said. Rachel broke apart from Tobias.

"How…?" Rachel asked him, looking as confused as we all felt.

"He wanted me here." Tobias said, with a shrug. Tobias is the only one of us who has dealt the most with the Ellimist. He knew him the best.

AS ALWAYS, YOU ARE CORRECT, TOBIAS. The Ellimist said.

"Show yourself." I said, and the Ellimist appeared as the old man he originally appeared to us as.

"I have come to tell you of the rule Crayak had broken."

"we're not here to play your game." I said. He smiled.

"But aren't you Jake? The Crayak directly interfered with the Yeerk invasion. He planted the work into the minds of the Yeerk scientists for the disease. You see, he meant it to be gave to you." He said, looking pitifully at the sick Tobias and back at me. "But his plan failed." He glanced at the second Tobias, and continued. "I was able to reverse the evidence of such an illness."

"Then shouldn't Tobias be well?" Rachel asked, looking confused.

"I cannot change what already is."

"You have the power! Why can't you?" She demanded.

"Rachel." Tobias said, and she looked at him. "Let him say what he's come to say."

"I cannot make Tobias well. What is done is done. But I can help you get a cure."

"What is it?" Cassie asked, looking interested.

"There is a flower on the Yeriaf planet. It is called the Rewolf. It has great healing properties when used correctly and should reverse the illness Tobias has."

"So, you're sending us on a wild goose chase for an unknown plant?" Marco stated.

"Kind of. The inhabitants are called the Iskriska. Hey are a docile race with a strong sense of pride. They are insulted easily and do not take too kindly to strangers."

"Isn't that contradictory?" Tobias asked. The Ellimist smiled.

"Kind of. They are not violent in anyway unless provoked. They are naturally peaceful and like to keep it that way. They do prefer to be left alone, but when confronted by an outsider, they like to learn everything possible if you are kind to them and do not give them what they would consider an insult."

"And that would be…?" I asked.

"What would insult you the most? Their pride is strong and dominates their culture."

"How do we know what this flower looks like?" Cassie asked. "The Rewolf?"

"You will know." The Ellimist said, simply. "The choice is yours." We all glanced at each other.

"I'll go." Cassie said, I already knew she would. Cassie would love the opportunity to see a new world and study it.

"Why not…?" Marco said.

I will do as Prince Jake asks. Ax said, so I knew I could count him in.

"My vote don't count." Tobias said and I looked at Rachel

"I'm staying." She said. We all looked at her, shocked. "I'm not leaving Tobias alone."

"Rachel, I can hardly remember my name, let alone care if you're with me or not." Tobias pointed out. Rachel looked like she was about to argue but Tobias cut her off. "I know you. I know if something were to happen to them, or to me, you'd spend the rest of your life wondering if you could have done something. Go, I'll be fine." Tobias said. I saw Rachel look uncertain, but considering Tobias's words. Tobias whispered something to her and Rachel looked up at him and nodded.

"You will have four earth hours to complete the mission. Once you get the flower, you will be transported back here. In four hours, whether or not the job is done- you will come back here." The ellimist explained and looked at Tobias "I have temporarily eliminated that pesky time limit you keep having a problem with. After four hours, the clock will begin ticking again." Tobias nodded.

I took a deep breath.

"Will four hours pass here when we get back?" Cassie asked.

"It will be as if you never left." The Ellimist stated. We nodded, we all did, except Rachel who looked once more at Tobias before she whispered "Let's do it."

And not a second after, Cassie's barn was replaced with unfamiliar landscape.

**

* * *

Final A/N: Yes I know, terrible cliffhanger. I could have left it at the chapter before, but I figured that was too mean of a place to leave it for a week or a little longer depending on my typing ability and my beta reader. I hope you all enjoyed and I'll try to post more ASAP, but It won't be at least for another week. I hope you all enjoyed!**

**GenesisDragon** oops, I guess I should have checked that, though that was supposed to be the job of my beta reader also :D. Hope you enjoyed!

**rockergurl13:** well, as I have previously stated, this story started out as a dream going from the point of Tobias and Ax being captured by the yeerks and on (I didn't even get to know the ending, I woke up!). So I tried and tried to think of a good way to start it, and that's what I came up with. Lame, but hey, it worked for what I had in mind and I figured shippers are always wanting to read shipper-ish stuff anyway. :D I hope you weren't disappointed by the last few chapters.

**Quillian**: Hope you enjoyed!

**LucreziaNoin86:** I think in the back of my mind that's what I had in mind, but I don't really need to get scientific. :D I hope you're not disappointed by the turn of events.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: **No, I have not died, as I'm sure you are all wondering. I made a slight mistake. You see, I had told my beta that I was going to send her the couple of chapters I had typed up, only I forgot to send her the attachment until a couple of days after I came back when I asked her why I didn't get a return email. Oops! So, after sending her what I had, and completing the story, I resent her the files and hopefully, everything will be beta-ed soon and I can post at least once a week. I wouldn't hold my breath, because I just started my first semester in College, so I have no idea how busy I will be, but good news! The story is complete, unless my beta hates my ending, then I'll hafta add a chapter or two. I'm glad to see you all enjoyed the last chapter! I hope you all like this one as well. If you have any questions about this universe I've created, please ask. Some questions I thought might arise are covered in later chapters, but I don't want to leave everyone confused. Hope you all enjoyed!

**Chapter 26**

**Cassie**

**4 hours to go**

I was literally awestruck. One moment I was standing in my barn and the next…it was replaced with the most breathtaking scenery I ever saw. This planet was a lot like earth. It is covered in lush grass that is a lilac-like purple with some baby blue mixed in. The tree trucks were a pastel green with the same purple and blue leaves. The sky was a light yellow instead of our pale blue. It had two suns in the sky which surprisingly the air was perfect and not too hot. In the distance stood a small village. The homes were probably made from the wood of the trees, as they were the same color the trees were.

"Wow," I said, forgetting for a moment why we were here on this strange planet and taking in the wonderful landscape.

"OK team, we're on a tight schedule." Jake said, after a long pause. He snapped all of us out of our silence and brought us to the present.

"OK, Does anyone else think it's odd that _every_ foreign planet we've been to, we're not about to suffocate?" Marco asked. We all stared at him. "What! No one else remembers studying the solar system and learning if we left Earth's atmosphere we're pretty much going to die?" We all continued to stare blankly at Marco. "Unless you're Mrs. Frizzle, and one of the kids on the Magic School Bus." He added, which caused all of us to smile.

It is not so odd that we can all breathe. Most lifeforms are carbon-based and require virtually identical chemical needs. Some planets have thicker atmosphere's than others, but that usually has a lot to do with the planet's atmospheric pressure and gravitational pull. (please note, I don't know if that is true, I'm not a science major, but it sounds like something Ax would say, so there.)

"Ax?"

Yes Prince Jake?

"Stop it, you're making my head hurt."

Yes Prince Jake.

"I guess the best thing to do is to ask the people here if they can tell us were to find the Rewolf. What were they called again?" Jake asked.

"The Isriska." I answered.

"right." Jake said. "Ok, let's head towards the village. Remember what the Ellimist said, no insulting." Jake looked pointedly at Marco and Ax. Marco because of his lack of ability to control his mouth with his brain and Ax because he holds Andalites above other species in the galaxy and tends to make everyone feel inferior.

We started towards the village in silence. Each of us lost in our own thoughts and observations.

"Has anyone else found it odd that we haven't run into one strange creature yet?" Marco asked us once we were almost to the village.

"No, actually. This planet may not have the large variety of species that Earth has." I said.

That is correct. Earth is an odd planet in its abundance of, as Marco put it, creatures. Ax added.

Before anyone else could say another word, a humanoid, for lack of better term, creature appeared before us. She looked a lot like Rachel, the perfect supermodel build. Her skin is silver and her hair long and turquoise in color. She wore, what looked like, eye shadow around her eyes that went up as high as her eyebrows and outlined her eyes so they appeared to be larger than they really were. Her hair shown in the sunlight like it was filled with glitter. It took a moment for me to realize her feet were not touching the ground. She hovered before us and I studied her further and noticed the iridescent wings beating quickly behind her back. She wore a long white gown that was backless and went down to her bare feet. It had flowers embroidered on it the same color as her hair.

"Hello, my name is Nomikna and I welcome you to the village of Arana." She said, her voice soft and rhythmic. "You are not from around here, no?" She added, studying us further.

"No, we aren't." Jake said. "My name is Jake, this is Cassie, Rachel, Marco, and Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, we call him Ax for short." Nomikna's (pronounced Nome-Ick-Na) eyes narrowed as Jake indicated Ax.

"Andalite." She sneered, her voice and eyes showing her disgust.

How do you know of Andalites when we do not know of you? Ax asked. Nomikna looked smug but said nothing to Ax.

"Come. You must be tired from your journey." Nomikna said and turned around and floated towards the village. We all glanced at eachother and shrugged. I honestly thought the Isriska where going to be more…I don't know, different. The Ellimist didn't make it seem like they were going to welcome us this easily.

We followed Nomikna into the village, figuring it would be an insult to her if we did not. Once we entered the village, there were people all around us in a variety of colors, some repeated, but none were the same as Nomikna's silver color. I wondered briefly if the skin colors were prejudice like back home, but they all seemed to co-exist nicely.

"It's like a village of fairies!" Marco said. All movement stopped. The Isriska all stared at us, their expressions unreadable. They began to talk quickly in a language none of us knew and Jake glared at Marco.

"What!" he demanded.

"I think you just insulted them." I said, as the Isriska surrounded us.

"We should morph. We can take them." Rachel said.

"No." Jake said, "I don't want us to fight if we don't have to."

One of the Isriska had a sharpened, what looked like a jousting sword, and pointed it at us. We backed away and they ushered us out of the market place towards the center of the village. I looked around for Nomikna, but I did not see her anywhere. I gulped and took a deep breath to study my nerves and followed Jake and the others as we were escorted away.

**

* * *

CASSIE101: Yes, I b-updated:D That just amused the heck out of me. :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Shifter:** Hey, a new reviewer! Fresh meat! ;D Thank you for the wonderful compliments. I hope you enjoy the next few chapters.

**rockergurl13:** Good to know. Hope you liked this chapter. The next few were rather difficult for me because I was creating a while new universe unique only to my own mind. It was time consuming, but fun. I hope everyone likes it:D

**GenesisDragon** :D Hope the summary is satisfactory. I was going to change it. I suck at summaries and I hated it. lol!

**LucreziaNoin86:** Yes! I finally got the spelling of your name right! This calls for the happy dance later. (J/K) I'm glad you liked the plot twist. It took days to perfect it.

**Quillian** Interesting…yes, that's a good way to put things. :D I hope you enjoy, more action to come. :D


	27. Author Note

**Authors Note**

OK everyone, I was going to update this weekend, but my area had an unfortunate power outage that lasted from Friday at 2pm until sometime on Saturday. I was working and my workplace had power and such so I'm not sure when it came back on Saturday, but it was on when I came home Saturday evening.

Now, the downside, because of this mass power outage, something happened to the cable in my area. Not bad, right? Just can't watch TV, whatever. I'll get by. Then I remember, we have cable internet, so crap-ola, no internet also. :-(

Moral of the story, it sucks to have cable internet when there's a mass power outage. It's supposed to be fixed sometime today, but my family has the worst luck with cable and it probably will be another couple days or so until it is fixed. :-(

So I'll try and post as soon as I can, I'm currently posting this note while I'm at school. I can't believe my college won't let you hook up a laptop to their internet! What's up with that!

Besides the money factor of college, I'm loving the college life and I hope to be posting another chapter later this evening. Keep your fingers crossed and pray to the cable god for me. ;D

Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, I'll answer reviews when I post the next chapter. I hope you all had a great weekend, that wasn't quite as eventful as mine was. (And no, I do not live in Florida or any other hurricane areas, so I wasn't affected by it…yet…I'll probably end up getting some heavy rain in a few days time, speaking of, I hope no one else is effected too harshly over Katrina.)

Until next time!


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N: **Yes, Finally, I have my internet back! It came online again sometime on Monday night, Tuesday morning. For the last couple of days, I have done nothing but homework and responding to email and catching up on fanfics. It took forever, and now, finally, I am back and with a new chapter.

As I stated in the last A/N, I'm loving the college life, except my Economics professor, he's an old german man and his accent is very difficult for me to understand sometimes. But other than that, college is great and I'm sure you don't care about my college talk, so I'm going to stop my ramblings and let you get onto the story. :D I'm glad everyone's enjoying the last chapter, now onto some fun stuff!

**Chapter 27  
J****ake  
****3 ½ hours to go**

We were all ushered in what looked like a castle and led to the basement and locked in a cell that vaguely reminded me of a dungeon in a King Arthur movie I had recently seen.

Prince Jake, we could morph

"We'd stick out like sore thumbs." Cassie interrupted with a sigh. I turned towards Marco.

"What do I look like, Houdini?" He asked. I sent him a stern look.

"I told you to keep your mouth shut."

"I'm sorry! I couldn't help it!" Marco said, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "Jake man, you know me. You know I can't control my mouth sometimes."

"You better be sorry! Look where _your_ mouth has landed us!"

"Guys! Don't! We don't have the time." Cassie said, looking annoyed. I sighed. I knew she was right. It was pointless to argue with Marco when I had more pressing things to worry about, like making a great escape without turning us into fugitives or something. I looked over at my cousin, and I noticed she was uncharacteristically silent. She stared out the small barred window in our cell with a far-away expression on her face.

"Rachel?" She didn't acknowledge me. If I was going to come up with a plan of action, I wanted everyone's attention. "Ra" Cassie stopped me with a hand on my shoulder and a shake of her head. "We have to get out of this." I muttered, rubbing my temples. The easiest way out would be to morph. I knew that, the others knew that. But I couldn't be sure our morphing ability would get us far. As Cassie stated, if we went small, we'd be easily recognized. I never once noticed one single cockroach roaming the halls. If we went anything else, we'd be recognized.

I briefly wondered if we could attempt to pull a Houdini great escape act when an Isriska opened our cell and said in English "Come. The Queen is waiting." We all glanced at each other, except Rachel who kept staring out the window. This could not be good. Cassie stepped over to Rachel and snapped her out of her funk. We all followed the guard to what was probably considered the thrown room, but I couldn't be sure because I was never into the whole Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, and Knights thing when I was a kid.

The room was filled on either side of the angry villagers we had witnessed earlier. The center was completely empty for us to walk up to the thrown. The Village people yelled something at us that I guessed where obscenities.

"Come forward." A voice over said over the loudness of the crowd. The room went silent and we probably could have heard the grass growing if we were outdoors. We walked forward and I mentally wondered if we had to bow. I was starting to wonder why I wasn't into the whole royalty thing when I was kid. I mean, knights were supposed to be cool, right?

The queen was seated on a thrown with the same silver skin that Nomika has. Her hair was raven colored and her eyes violet with violet eye makeup around them. I could not see her wings, but I assumed they were folded behind her.

"State your name, your pet, and your purpose here." Ax snorted and I sent him a warning look. Now was not the time for Ax to get testy.

"My name is Jake, my friends are Cassie, Rachel, Marco, and Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. We are here because" I paused. I wasn't sure if I should tell her the truth.

"They are spies!" A villager yelled.

"Yes, they spy for the Isrika! The wingedless ones!" Yelled another.

"Is this true?" The queen asked, her eyes looking like violet fire.

"No, that is not why we are here." I stated, trying to think of another purpose, but failing to come up with one.

"My name is Rachel. We are from planet Earth. Our friend back home…he's sick. He could die." Rachel's voice dropped lower as she finished her last sentence. Tears began to fill her eyes and I wondered for a moment if we were doomed. "We were told the Rewolf is his only chance. We have come here to seek the Rewolf so we can save the life of our friend." Her voice steadily gained confidence and I saw a look of renewed determination in her eyes. No one said a word. The hall was silent and might as well have been empty.

"You love this friend of yours?" The queen asked, her eyes softer.

"With all my heart." Rachel stated and I don't think anyone in the room doubted her. The Queen smiled and I swear I saw tears in the eyes of some of the villagers.

"I can see your love. All of your love." She looked at Rachel, and at the rest of us. "You with the love of your sick friend, and the love you have among friends, each of you shows love." She studied Ax for a moment. "Even your Andalite friend."

I glanced at Cassie, I couldn't figure out if we were saved or screwed. Cassie had this big grin on her face and I hoped it was because we wouldn't be burned at the stake or something.

"You will have our help to retrieve the Rewolf. For now" She clapped her hands and a servant came forward, at least, I assume it's a servant as it answered the queens call. I could be wrong. "Treat these outsiders to a meal before they start their journey." I was going to protest, but I thought I shouldn't push our luck. I think turning down food would be considered an insult.

"Thank you." I said to the Queen. She smiled back at me. "No, thank you." I looked at her, puzzled. She just smiled at me and the servant cleared his throat and we followed him out of the hall. The whole way out, I wondered what the Queen had meant.

**

* * *

CASSIE101: Of course Marco had to say it. Plus it worked to give a description of my village. :D Glad you enjoyed! And yes, having no internet was a killer! I rented like a million movies from blockbuster to keep myself busy! L **

**Wizgal** :D Tobias is my fav too, and Rachel, if you haven't guessed by the frequency of their chapters. lol! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry it took so long, as I said, I had a million emails to get through.

**Aixana**: glad to know you're enjoying, though you probably won't see this for awhile yet. lol!

**rockergurl13:** Yes it is fun, though now I hafta do a pronunciation guide, just to help you guys out some as you're reading. :D Oh, btw: I'll check out your story when I came back from Labor day camping trip which will be sometime on Monday. :D

**Quillian**Great story! I'm glad you liked the last chapter and hope you like this one too. More to come, hopefully sooner rather than later.

**LucreziaNoin86:** Of course he had to say it. It's Marco. How could he not?

**Shifter**: glad you like, hope you liked this chapter too.

**

* * *

**

**Pronunciation Guide(at least, the best I can do):**

**Rewolf: **Rey-wolf  
**Isriska:** Is-ris-ka  
**Nomikna:** Nome-ick-na

I think those are the major words used, I'll try and do more as they come around. If there's something you're wondering about, just let me know. I'm sure I probably forgot something. lol! I always forget something it seems.


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N: **Hey everybody! I hope all of you had a great labor day weekend (if you're non-US, then I hope your weekend was great anyway :D). I finally got caught up in all my homework, so I figured I'd do a celebratory post.

FYI: I did this chapter in Nomikna's pov just to give you guys some insight of the Isriska. I hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter 28**

**Nomikna**

Love. It was as simple as that. Love is the connecting force between all life forms. Without love, you cannot have hate. Love is so much harder. It is easy to not care about anyone other than oneself. It is harder to find love within another individual. Love is the most valued product to our people and it is cherished forever. The outsider named Rachel nailed it, without even trying. I had to smile.

I watched as my mother's people filed out of the thrown room, gossiping about the new-comers. When they were all gone, I turned to my mother.

"Mother?"

She turned to me, her wise violet eyes staring into my turquoise ones.

"You are fond of these strangers, are you not Nomikna?"

"I am."

"You wish to help them."

"With your permission." She smiled at me.

"Oh Nomikna, even if I say no, you will do so anyway." I looked down at my feet, momentarily ashamed of my mothers admission. I knew she was right. If she had told me no, I would have snuck out and went with them anyway. I was fascinated by these new comers. I had a feeling they were not like our Isrisa, the wingedless ones who were punished into being wingedless. That is the greatest punishment for an Isriska. To have one's wings cut off and outcasted from the rest. Some youngsters are born with a defect that make them wingedless. They are rare and usually accepted but cannot work as anything higher than a servant or an apprentice. They are usually isolated and live quiet lives. I had a feeling these new comers were not wingedless because of deformity or dishonor, but because that is how they are. They look like us, but they are wingedless and it utterly fascinated me. I wanted to learn more. I felt compelled to learn more.

"If I were your age, Nomikna, I would do the same thing." My mother told me, and I looked up at her, afraid to believe she would let me go. "Go with the wingedless ones and their Andalite." She said and I grinned and hugged her.

"Thank you!" I stepped back and ran towards the door.

"Nomikna!" my mother's voice was scolding. I stopped in my tracks and realized my error. I beat my wings so I was hovering above the ground. Running and walking were for children. When you reached a certain age, you were to only use your wings unless you are a servant or standing. Royalty always flew when in motion. I felt the rule was stupid and meant to be broken and I did it quite often when not in my mothers view. When I was out of her sight, I landed and ran through the halls, excited to learn more about the strangers who were eating in our dining hall.

I entered the dining hall to see the strangers picking at the food before them, looking like they had no clue as to what it was. I studied them. The four that looked like Isrisa did not bother me. But the Andalite did. I knew the Andalite had morphed to look like his so-called friends. He couldn't fool me with his morph. My people have heard of the Andalite scourge. They claim to be the defenders of the galaxy but are not against destroying whole races. I heard they once used a form of genocide on a species called the Hork Bajir and destroyed several other species the same way all in the name of justice. The thought made me physically ill. I made a mental note to beware of the Andalite and look for any signs of his corruption.

I was fascinated with the wingedless ones though. I had a feeling that their species was always wingedless and it was utterly fascinating. I wanted to learn more about them but they turned around and noticed me studying them. The one named Cassie smiled at me. The one named Jake stared at me, his expression unreadable. The one named Rachel looked like she was lost in her thoughts of her beloved and the one named Marco studied me and I felt my heart flutter as he looked into my eyes.

"Hello Nomikna." Cassie greeted me.

"Hello." I said and walked over to them, stretching my wings out to their full size and folding them behind me.

"This is edible right?" The one named Marco asked me and I found I liked the sound of his voice. It was different from the others. The rest of the humans sent him a sharp look and I tried not to laugh. He was kind of humorous. The others must have thought he was insulting me or something.

"Actually, I feel the Ikaka is rather…distasteful myself." I stated, pointing out the plate infront of Marco. "I would recommend the Sprika and the Lasha." They stared at me blankly. "The Sprika is a delicacy around here, it's…a…I believe you would call it soup, and the Lasha, I believe would be your equivalent to bread."

The outsiders gave a look of understanding and took my advice. The named Jake offered me a seat next to him and Marco. I accepted and sat down with them but did not eat. I wasn't hungry.

"So, where do we find this Rewolf thing?" Marco asked me. I smiled at him.

"you can't."

All of them stopped to look at me. Even Rachel.

"What!" The blonde named Rachel demanded. Her voice loud and sharp. Her blue eyes held a fire in them I only saw in my mother's eyes.

"You cannot find the Rewolf. It is…an amazing discovery. Your best chance of seeking it is through the mountains. On the very top can you find it, if it lets you."

"What do you mean, if it lets you?" Cassie asked me, curiosity filled her eyes.

"The Rewolf has a mind of its own, if you will. It will not appear to those without a pure intention. When the Rewolf is used as it's supposed to, the effects can be…beautiful. But when used in the wrong way…well, it can become murderous."

"your people suspected we were after the Rewolf." Cassie said, looking directly at me. "That's why we were imprisoned. That's why your mother held court." I nodded. "They thought we wanted it for the wrong reasons." I nodded again, and stared at Cassie. She was intuitive and I knew I would have to watch myself around her.

"You are correct." I stated. "We try to weed out the wrong searchers for the Rewolf. But sometimes, we can be fooled." They all seemed satisfied with my answer and they returned to their meal, but the Andalite, now in a morph similar to the others stared at me, a suspicious expression on his face. I stared back, keeping my face expressionless as I saw into his mind.

* * *

I have no new pronunciations. All the food will not come back to haunt you, so I figure, it doesn't really matter if you know how I think of it being pronounced. If you'd like to know, I can post it in the next chapter, but for now, I'm going to leave it alone. :D Hope you all enjoyed!**

* * *

aizxana I'm glad you're enjoying my insanity ;D. I've had the same thought about morphing and pregnancy, I wouldn't think it would do anything, but you never know.**

**GenesisDragon** I will check it out once I finish my post :D.

**CASSIE101:D** Yes, I'm glad too. Good to know I was missed ;D though you probably were more interested in the story. :D I figured it would make reading easier if you had a base on how to pronounce the language I created. I know a few times I wished KAA would have done the same. :D

**rockergurl13:** maybe…maybe not…you never know. Muahahahahha

**LucreziaNoin86:** Kind of a slower chapter, but the next will get into some bigger plot development. :D Hope you enjoyed

**Quillian** hehe, real life is going…I think my friends are starting to become slightly scared of me recently, but it just amuses the heck out of me. :D Hope everything's going good for you.

Wow, for some reason, that felt like a lot of reviews to go through…hhmmm, keep it up:D


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N: **Hey all! I am back, and wow, college is so different from high school…my professor for one of my classes today just decided not to show it. It was great! Anywho, I'm glad to see that everyone likes Nomikna and her chapter. Now the question in my mind is, should I do another in her pov? Hhmmm, I'll sleep on the idea. Another thing, one of my friends got me into banner making a couple of months back and since then, I've been playing around with some banners and such. I just made one to go with this story, I think it's kind of crap because it's hard to find decent animorph pictures and I'm way too lazy to dig out the books again and scan the covers and crop..too much work. So, if you would all like, next post I'll put in the link (also will go in my author's page, but it will be to my banner site, not to the actual banner) in the next chapter. If anyone wants to see it, post a note in your review. If you guys could care less, well, whatever, you're here for the story, not for my artwork. :D

Onto the story!

**Chapter 29**

**Cassie**

**3 Hours Left**

After we finished our meal, Nomikna offered us a place to stay and rest. Jake told her no, that we were pressed for time. She seemed like she accepted the explanation but was not at all happy about it. She led us on our path to the mountains and we stood just before the line of trees, contemplating what lives in the woods. Could be anything. I mussed.

"Nomikna, what kind of terrain can we expect?" I asked. If this planet was anything like Earth, I might be able to get an idea of what morphs that we had that we could use to speed up our time of travel.

"Our lands are relatively flat in the plains. Once we break into the woods, there will be hills, cliffs, rivers, the Yumphat"

"Yumphat?" Jake, Marco, and I asked.

"They are a dangerous creature; let us hope we do not run into one. The mountains will be far worst than the woods."

"Can we fly there?" Marco asked.

"But you have no wings!" Nomikna objected.

"Not like this we don't." I muttered. Nomikna's eyes narrowed.

"Of course, the Andalite shared his morphing technology with you." Ax said nothing in return, but I could see his main eyes narrow in a sort of glare and his tail twitched slightly. "Even if you have a flight morph, there are too many dangers in the sky, more than on the ground. It is best to stay low." Nomikna advised. I took in the information and did a scan of our morphs in my mind.

"So Cassie, what can we do?" Jake asked me. I shrugged.

"I can't really know for sure on this planet, but I think we should go wolf. They're quick and if we have to fend off an attack, we can still fight."

"We can't go wolf! Jake's gonna pee on everything!" Marco protested. Jake glared at Marco, Rachel stayed silent. I frowned as I studied her. It was unlike her to not comment any of Marco's complaining.

"We need the wolf's agility…but we aren't from around here, so any combination of morphs we choose won't look odd moving together."

"So we each do a different morph?" Marco asked, looking excited.

"Well, not necessarily. For instance, you're gorilla morph probably won't get you too far in these closed spaces and from the looks of the trees; I don't think you could do much swinging. I think we would all be better off doing wolf, but Ax could stay Ax, and Jake could morph tiger since, as Marco put it, we don't want to have to stop to let him pee all over the place."

"Ok, so wolf it is."

"Yup." I said with a nod.

"Let's do it." Rachel said and we all jumped and looked at her. She had barely said two words since, our sort-of sentencing.

"Great, even Xena thinks we're gonna die. Oh thank you for once again cursing our very existence."

Rachel just shrugged nonchalantly. We all began to morph and no one thought to warn Nomikna about how gross the morphing process is. She never screamed, but she watched us with a look of sick fascination. Once I finished the morph, I looked at her and her face was slightly paler than it was before and she was looking more and more disturbed.

((Are you ok?)) I asked her. Her eyes widened.

"Your voice….it's…it's in m-my head…" She said, looking more confused.

Ax, who had stayed in his Andalite form, began to explain the sciences behind thought speak. I could feel my head starting to hurt with the long winded explanation.

((It pretty much works like projecting thought. Don't listen to Ax-man's explanation, you'll just end up with an even bigger headache and more questions if you think about it too much.)) Marco said, cutting Ax off. Ax looked slightly annoyed and muttered something about inferior races.

((OK team, let's go!)) Jake said, and bounded into the woods, with Rachel and I behind, and Ax following lose behind. I did not fail to notice that Marco and Nomikna stayed together at the end.

**_

* * *

New Word!_**

Yumphat- Pronounced as it looks, Yum-fat. :D

* * *

**_To My faithful (and new) Reviewers:_**

**Free Soul:** you've got your wish. :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as you've enjoyed the rest.

**rockergurl13**: I'm glad you like Nomikna. She's actually loosely based off a character in one of my original stories…I stress loosely. I pretty much stole the name and some character traits, so she's been 'real' to me for a couple of years. Glad to know you like her because she was a fun character for me to create and recreate to suit this story. (I used her because I liked the uniqueness of her name and I was feeling too lazy to come up with a new one. lol)

**CASSIE101:** As much as I'd love to give you a straight up answer, I have to just say 'you'll see' and leave it as that…did I just say straight up? Wow, I've been hanging in the ghetto way too long…(not meant in a bad way!)

**LucreziaNoin86:** I'm glad you enjoy my updates. :D I hope you liked this chapter…even though it's kind of a bridge chapter for what's to come.

**GenesisDragon** Well, as stated before, the Rewolf has powers no other being (possibly even the ellimist) possesses. It is absolute power and when used the wrong way…well, I'm sure I don't have to explain it. I picture the Isriska as the guardians of this power, though many of them believe it to be a fairy-tale.

**Quillian** Thank you. I'm trying to debate whether I should insert another Nomikna chapter. I originally left it as the one, but now that I'm seeing reviews, I'm beginning to rethink my plan…but if I do another chapter…but there's…issues I have with doing another chapter in her perspective, especially when I have it wrote and all I have to do is hound my beta. :D


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N: **Hey all! Sorry about the wait on the post, but I've been busy with homework. I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you all like this one. BTW: Skeleton Key…great movie!

**Chapter 30**

**Rachel**

I followed Jake and Cassie, feeling a slight pang in my heart. I know they don't mean to, but every look they share, every time their hands touch (not that I don't get jealous over that anyway) is a reminder I may not be able to look into Tobias's soft human eyes once again or the fierce hawk eyes that I have grown accustomed to seeing him with. Heck, even Marco seemed to be doing well with a relationship on this planet. I knew I would be more into the strange colors and the similarities between us and the Isriska if my mind was trapped in the moment. But it's not. Its a billion miles or more back in the woods behind Cassie's house, letting myself be lost in Tobias's gaze, and hoping we weren't already too late.

I mentally shook myself. I needed to get my head in the game. Being distracted is only going to make matters worst, but every time I tried to push the image of Tobias's face away, the way he looked before and after the illness struck him down, I began to feel guilty that I wasn't thinking about him.

((Rachel?))

((Yes, Cassie?)) I asked, knowing what the next question was going to be.

((Are you))

((No, I'm not fine!)) I snapped at her. Everyone stopped and looked at me and I realized I had said it out loud. I tried not to let my head droop, but under everyone's gaze, I couldn't help but feel ashamed.

((Rachel…)) Cassie said but this time not privately.

((It was a dumb question Cassie!)) I said to everyone and added privately ((Of course I'm not fine! I wouldn't be here if he hadn't wanted me to be. I can't stop wondering if that was the last time I will ever see him and I didn't)) I stopped. I couldn't finish my sentence. Had I been human, I would have cried. _You didn't tell him you loved him. _A voice in the back of my mind accused. I had no defense and let those words echo through my mind.

((Ax, how long do we have?)) Jake asked.

((In Earth hours, we have just over 2 ½ hours. In Isriska hours, we have roughly 6 hours, but I am not certain as the planets rotation patterns seem to change, so it is only a guess.))

((Ax, you're guesses are as good as Einstein's Emc2.)) Marco stated.

((You actually know what)) Jake started to say but Marco cut him off.

((I pay attention in science…sometimes.)) Marco objected.

((Uh-hu.)) Jake said.

((He probably read it on the back of a Captain Crunch box or something.)) I muttered.

((Hey! It was in our science book!))

((So, you actually _read_ the book? Marco, I'm impressed!))

((Hey, I read it!)) Marco protested.

((I have to agree with Rachel. I mean, who can possibly pull a 6 on a test?)) Jake asked, and added ((Who has actually read the text book?))

((That teacher hated me!))

((Marco, everyone hates you.)) I said.

((Oh! And she got me again!)) Marco said, dramatically.

((Did you guys hear that?)) Cassie asked.

((Marco's bad acting?)) I asked.

((No, shh.)) Cassie said. We all went silent.

I felt the adrenaline begin to pump in my system. My ears twitched and tuned into the silent forest.

"Oh, Oh no!" Nomikna said, looking visibly shaken.

Before we could ask her what happened, we each had been hit by something so fast we couldn't see it. I was thrown into a tree five feet away, Ax was sprawled on the ground, Cassie landed neatly on her feet, Jake was also recovering from a tree hit, and Marco was on his side some distance away, tangled in some kind of bush. Nomikna was no where to be seen. Ax was the first to recover. His tail was ready and his eyes searching.

((What the hell was that!)) I demanded as I struggled to righted myself. Nomikna came back into sight.

"It's a Nekasrof!" She said, visibly shaken.

((Translation…?)) Marco asked. I felt a whoosh of air and felt rather than saw a rough tail and or tentacle knock me aside. I heard the ribs of the wolf morph crushing on impact and I flew feet dozen feet into the air and landed with a thud on the dirt packed path. I tried to get up, but the pain was too much.

"The Nekasrof is an incredibly fast creature. It moves quickly and almost silently. It likes to…play, if you will, with its prey." Nomikna flew up a few feet. "It cannot fly too high, for its mass is too great, but near the surface…" She shuddered.

((Jake, I have to demorph.)) I said, pushing the pain aside to try and get up, but I knew I couldn't battle like this.

((Yeah, ok. Marco, cover Rachel.)) Jake said and muttered ((God I miss Tobias, his eyes would be helpful right now.)) I felt a pang of sadness hit me and I pushed it aside. Now was not the time to get emotional. Now was the time to prove myself and I wasn't going to let Tobias down. I concentrated and began to demorph. Before I had completely finished, the Nekasrof came back and Jake and Cassie were failing miserably to attack it. Ax was also morphing his injuries away.

Marco left me and leaped to help Jake and Cassie but was thrown into a tree with a yelp. I frowned, now fully human. We weren't going to be able to beat the thing as we were. That much I knew. A voice in my head said _if you can't beat em, join em. _I was going to mentally retaliate with our battle with the yeerks. No way was I going to let myself become a controller.

Jake and Cassie were knocked aside and I could see a blur of dark green coming towards me. Come on, Come on, closer, closer…I thought and as the tentacle thing went to shove me aside, I held on with all of my might. It hit me in my midsection and I held on and concentrated on the slimy yet soft texture of the creature. It slowed and finally stopped as the trance hit it.

It was actually a cute creature in a hideous kind of way. It was completely dark green, probably a forest green or a similar shade, soft fur-like scales covering it's body. It had large feathered wings midway on its back. It had the body of a crocodile, the head of a kangaroo, the wings of a giant bird, the legs of a horse, and the tail of a dinosaur. It was probably four feet in length and two feet tall. I backed away from it after I had my DNA and Ax followed my lead and did the same.

((Good thinking Rachel.)) Jake stated.

"Thanks."

Marco was already demorphed and Jake and Cassie began to demorph. Marco took Ax's place then Cassie and lastly Jake.

"So, do we try out the new morph?" I asked, as the Nekasrof decided it had enough and flew off. Nomikna landed when it was long gone.

"Ax, how are we on time."

((Approximately 2 earth hours left.))

"How far are we to the Rewolf?" Jake asked Nomikna.

"About an hour or so, my time."

"OK, let's take a short break." Jake stated. I glared at him.

"Rachel we're all tired, we need to rest, including you."

"I'm fine."

"Rachel?"

"What!" I snapped at Cassie.

"You're bleeding." She said her voice an eerie calm. I glanced down and noticed my morphing suit was torn where the tail had hit me. The wound was deep and bleeding heavily.

Funny, how I hadn't noticed it before now.

"Rachel, you need to morph." Jake said, his voice was loud, like it gets when he's panicked. My head felt woozy and my vision began to blur. Morph, my mind said. To what? Something answered back. The last thing I remembered before the darkness was hearing Cassie's voice in the abyss of white noise.

**

* * *

Pronunciation Guide:**

Nekasrof- Neck-as-rof

**

* * *

Rewolf**** Explained:**

OK, I want to make sure everyone understands how I see the Rewolf. The Rewolf is raw power. It is greater than the Ellimist and the Crayak. Now, why wouldn't the Ellimist or Crayak use it to destroy each other? Because before they were even created, the Isriska history was beginning. The early Isriska's became power hungry and nearly destroyed their whole race. One leader, a queen, decided to put a magical charm on it, if you will. Only a person with good intentions can use the Rewolf and its power. If you are planning on using it to destroy, you will never be able to find it and essentially, you will go crazy. Ellimist and Crayak cannot touch the Rewolf no matter how much they want to. They would use it to achieve ultimate power and destroy the other and it is against the parameters set by the ancient Isriska. So, if you have a good intention, like healing a friend, then you can use the power of the Rewolf. Pretty much, you can't use it for self gain or selfish reasons. Make sense?

So, Why don't they turn back time and take it then? Because it would be against the rules of the game and neither Crayak nor the Ellimist can break that rule. Why don't more Isriska seek out the Rewolf? Because the majority of them have never seen it and it is a story passed down generations and most believe it to be a folk tale; Hence why not even the Andalites have heard of such a plant.

I hope that helps some. It might have arose more questions then answers, but I want to make it clear how I see it…

**

* * *

**

**Reviews:** (I abbreviated, got lazy...)

**C101: **lol! It's ok, I completely understand about getting the 'mojo' back. ;D

**GD:** No, I am happy to help. I hope that explained your questions more thoroughly.

**Q: **Thank you.

**LN86:** Sounds like fun. :D I'm glad you enjoyed; hope this chapter lives up to expectation.


	32. Chapter 31

**A/N: **Hey all, hope your week has been great. I was planning on posting sooner, but one of my friends went into the hospital and I've been by there a few times this week to check up on her…needless to say between that stress, school, and work, my stories were placed on hold. I'm only posting this because I'm too awake to get any sleep at the moment. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I know this chapter is short, but I can't help that, hopefully things will slow back down and I'll be able to post again soon.

**Chapter 31**

**Marco**

We're screwed. I mean, Xena just fainted, bird boy is…well, who knows how he is, Jake and Cassie are staring into each other's eyes, trying to figure out what to do about Rachel bleeding to death with some comments from Ax and of course, Nomikna is staring at me like I'm a piece of meat and it's beginning to creep me out. Don't get me wrong, I'm not the kind of guy to turn a girl away, but some alien chick? Come on, most people will tell ya a long distance relationship won't last long and she don't even have email!

Cassie must have made some progress on keeping Rachel's blood inside of her because I heard Rachel give a low groan as she began to wake up and Cassie telling her to morph. Well, Cassie was probably more yelling than telling, but Cassie had a good reason. Rachel morphed grizzly and back again, good as new. One crisis averted. About five more to go, if my math was correct, which could very easily be wrong.

"OK, let's move." Rachel said, standing up and then sitting back down a moment later, looking paler than before.

"You're weak from all the morphing." Cassie explained.

"I'm fine." Rachel snapped, but not coming out as snappish as Rachel wanted it to. We all knew Rachel hated to feel weak. That is one thing that I have learned about her during our time as Animorphs.

"We all need a rest. Nomikna says we're close, we'll rest a bit and carry on." Jake said.

"We shouldn't waste our time sitting here and doing nothing." Rachel said, her eyes determined.

"Rachel…" Jake started and then gave up and threw his hands up into the air, and looked away from her for a moment and then back at her. Yikes, I would not want to be in Rachel's position right about now. Jake was one scary guy when he was ticked, and boy was he ticked or maybe severely frustrated. Who can tell? "I'm not in the mood to argue with you. If you want to go on and get yourself killed, fine, whatever, be my guest!" Jake spun around on his heel, and I was momentarily impressed as he stomped off into the woods. Cassie looked torn between her friend and her boyfriend. Rachel shot her a glare but stayed seated. Cassie scurried after Jake.

Ax began to mutter something about planetary rotation and Nomikna was staying away from Rachel and thought it best to hide beside me. Yeah, like that was going to save her. I would have to be as crazy as Rachel if I was going to stand between Nomikna and a pissed off Rachel. I was keeping Rachel in my sight, wondering if I would be able to run fast enough if she were to come after me. Rachel sensed me looking at her and snapped her icy blue eyes at me.

"What are you looking at!" She snapped. I wanted to make a smart assed remark, but the look on Rachel's face stopped me cold. I turned away from her with a muttered "nothing." Rachel looked at the ground and I wondered if a flame would erupt from the ground under her gaze. I sighed. I was bored.

Cassie and Jake were off doing…whatever it is that Cassie and Jake do, Rachel is normally someone I can shoot the breeze with by trading a few sarcastic comments, but she was definitely not in the mood. I was afraid I'd say the wrong thing and she'd morph grizzly and attack me. Ax was too busy being a science geek and I'd only end up being confused and then Ax wouldn't be muttering science things, but something about how humans are still primates or something. I glanced over at Nomikna and she smiled at me.

What the heck? I thought. At least she's not otherwise occupied or going to rip me into pieces with her bare hands.

I tilted my head up gangsta style and let out a smooth "wad up?" but Nomikna looked seriously confused. Oh boy, I thought. This is going to be the longest 15 minutes of my life.

**

* * *

C101: lol, glad you like the 'code name'**

**rg13:** glad you enjoyed, and I understand, my life has been out of control this week.

**LN86:D** I hope this chapter isn't lowering the better and better scale, there's a…development in the next chapter…so yeah, this one is kind of a bridge.

**Q:** Thank you. Hope you enjoyed this one.


	33. Chapter 32

**A/N: **Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! I completely forgot about this story! (sad hu?) As I said before, I've been so busy with my friend going in the hospital (thank god she's ok now), college (my online class is almost at a wraps so my instructor is making us work our butts off), and work…I am so sorry! I honestly meant to post sooner! I completely forgot about this until I was deleting files off my computer and onto my flashdrive and I came across this and gasped. I'm so sorry, I'll try and post more loads quicker next time. : ( Glad you all enjoyed the last chapter, hope you guys like this one!

**Chapter 32**

**Cassie**

I hate it when they fight. They being Rachel and Jake. I care about both of them, but I never know who to follow after a fight. Do I go after my best friend who is so emotional right now it's possible she could rip my throat out or possibly cry or do I run, for lack of a better term, to my boyfriend who is likely to listen to what I have to say and I can have a good shot at actually accomplishing something?

Rachel made my decision for me. She shot me her 'I'm not in the mood' glare and I ran after Jake. I followed the direction Jake took off in, but after going a few yards, I saw no sign of him. I stopped and looked around, trying to see if I could see some footprints or something.

"Jake?" I called. "Jake, where are you?" I listened closely, but I didn't hear anything. I walked forward another couple feet. "Jake?" I called again. Still no answer. I was starting to get worried.

OK, I'll go another couple of feet and if I don't find him, I'll have Ax or Marco come help me. I reasoned.

I finally stopped and was about to go back and get Marco when I heard some leaves crackle. I froze in place, not knowing what could be hiding in the thick bushes. I turned my head and studied the area I thought the sound came from. "Jake?" I asked, feeling my heart pound and my body start to break out in sweat from fear.

Some kind of animal leaped out of the bush and tackled me to the ground. I let out a shriek and threw my hands over my face. The animal smelled me and must not have liked what it smelled and bounded after me. I quickly leaped to my feet and I spun around trying to see what else might be lurking in the forest. Something else moved and I backed up into something solid. I let out another shriek and turned. I was face to face with one of the wingedless Isriska. I couldn't think of what they were called, I was frozen in fear. He grabbed my arms roughly and leaned his face in close.

"Leave us alone!" he said, his voice harsh and loud. I winced and flinched away. His hands left me and he ran off into the woods faster than I could follow. I felt tears prick my eyes and I turned to run back in the direction the others waited and ran into something else. I let out a whimper and closed my eyes tight as hands grabbed my shoulders.

"Whoa, Cassie?" A familiar voice said. I looked up into his eyes and felt very relieve and threw my arms around him and buried my head in his chest. "Are you ok?" Jake asked me. I shook my head slightly and took a deep breathe. Jake's arms circled around my waist and he kissed the top of my head. We stood like that for a moment or two and I sighed and stepped away.

"Better?" He asked, staring into my eyes.

"Now that you're here." I said, and then narrowed my eyes. It was his fault I was threatened. "Where were you!" I demanded.

"I had to get away for a minute. Clear my head." Jake answered.

"Why didn't you answer when I called?" I asked, feeling rejected.

"I didn't hear you." Jake said, and I glared at him. "I'm serious."

"I know." I said, and shuddered slightly, my eyes looking towards the bushes where the other man had grabbed me.

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm supposed to be asking you that." I pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm not the one who's shaking." Jake pointed out to me. I bit my lip and looked down at the ground. "What's wrong? What happened?" He asked me.

"I-I it's nothing. I just heard something and got spooked." I lied. Jakes eyes narrowed as he studied me. "We don't know this place, I don't know these animals, anything could have been out there." Jake still didn't look convinced, but he let it drop.

"Come on, let's head back." He said, wrapping his arm around my waist and leading me back to the others.

"Do you need to talk about anything?" I asked. He shook his head.

"My cousin frustrates the hell out of me. Nothing new." Jake said and gave me a smile to make me satisfied with the answer.

"You guys normally don't fight this much." I pointed out. "Normally it's Rachel and Marco going at it."

"I know. I think Rachel needs to let out some of her anger and she's taking it out on me. I don't care; I just wish I could get her to channel her anger into something a bit more productive than kicking butt without taking names." I nodded in agreement.

"She'll be back to normal after we get the Rewolf back home."

"I don't know. I don't want to be pessimistic, but I keep wondering what if we don't make it? What if we're too late?" Jake said, and added "I mean, we'd all be affected if Tobias didn't make it, but I don't think we could control Rachel. She's loose cannon as it is." He said, looking grim.

"And you say you can't read people." I said.

"I try."

"There's nothing we can do," I said "at least, not now. We have to keep thinking that we're going to do what we're here to accomplish. We've done so much so far, what's going to stop us from trying our hardest to succeed? Nothing, because as you said, we all have something to loose if Tobias doesn't make it. It isn't just about the Animorphs anymore, it's about a friend and a fellow warrior and it's affecting each of us differently. We have to hope we succeed and if we don't…we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." I said, voicing my opinion on the matter. Jake sighed.

"You're right. I shouldn't be thinking negatively. It's bad for our already poor morale." I smacked Jake lightly on the arm and we smiled at each other. We were almost back to the others when Jake stopped and turned to face me. He stared into my eyes and moved closer to me, so there were barely inches between us. He bent his head down and was about to kiss me. I almost smiled at the thought and closed my eyes, waiting for our lips to touch.

"Hey!" Marco called, coming between the trees. Jake and I jumped apart, and looked everywhere but at each other. Marco smiled at us. "Jake and Cassie sitting in a tree"

Jake glared at Marco "What?" Jake snapped at him. Marco stopped his taunting.

"Hey man, I'm going crazy here!" he said, looking desperately at me and Jake.

"And what else is new?" Jake asked. Marco scowled.

"When are we gonna blow this joint?" He asked Jake. Jake shrugged.

"Probably good to continue now." Jake answered and Marco looked ecstatic. We followed Marco back to Ax, Rachel, and Nomikna and we resumed our earlier morphs and headed out towards the mountains. I kept my wolf senses on the bushes, waiting for something to jump out at me.

**RG13:** Thank you, I actually enjoy writing in Marco's pov, though I do it infrequently in this story. It seems I can be more myself with him…glad you liked it!

**C101:** I see Rachel like a volcano, when she erupts all hell will break loose but it doesn't last too long. :D

**Tira's**** Host:** lol, yes I know. I had to do the same as I wrote this and I contemplated many more plot twists than I included. I'm glad to see a new face; glad you enjoy this.

**LN86:D** Sorry for the long wait…loads of stuff going on in my life right now; some good, some bad.

**Quillian** Good to know you liked the last chapter. Hope this one don't disappoint.

**AsianAngel** mmm, well…I'll not reveal too much, but I think you can see where this is going…Thanks for the review, always refreshing to see a new 'face' so to speak.


	34. Chapter 33

**A/N: **Yes, I know! I remembered to post! And it's actually going to be a double post! Alert the press and the media folks, this is a record for the last month….I think. :D I hope you all enjoy this chapter and the next…I figured since 33 and 34 are kind of short (and 34 has a major cliffie) I'd post them together. I hope you all enjoy. Reviews will be answered at the end of chapter 34.

**Chapter 33**

**Ax**

My friends and I made it through the woods with no further incidents. I kept watching the Isriska named Nomikna. I didn't trust her. Something about her bothered me and I could not figure it out. My human friends seem to be clouded by the fact she looks like them, but I will not make the same error in judgment.

We stood at the base of the mountain, assessing the height. My guess was that it was about 50 feet up, but maybe more, maybe less. It wasn't too tall in respect of some of the ones on Earth that I read about in the farmers' almanac. It looked steep and rocky, and would probably be a rough climb.

My friends demorphed and remorphed, ready for our climb.

((Does anyone else feel a sense of doom?)) Marco asked.

((How bad can it be?)) Prince Jake said.

((Again, I state, we're doomed.)) Marco said.

((Marco, Shut up. Let's do it.)) Rachel said. Marco groaned.

((Now we're double doomed. We're not going to make it out alive. We're done for and no one is going to know what to do with all my stuff.)) Marco said, sounding dramatic.

((Actually, our rate of success is higher than our rate of failure. So, by our statistics, we should actually not be, as Marco stated, doomed.)) I said, but feeling uneasy all the same. I couldn't figure out if it was Nomikna or if it was this whole world that had me at such unease.

((So where is this flower located? The Rewolf?)) Cassie asked Nomikna.

"Near the top. It's located on a small cliff that juts out near the edge of the forest." She explained.

((Ok people, let's get this over with.)) Prince Jake said, and led us up the mountain edges, Rachel following closely. Cassie and Marco proceeded, but I stayed where I was a moment, looking at Nomikna.

"You first Andalite." She said. My eyes narrowed.

((I don't think so. You first.)) I told her, not trusting her behind me, though I knew I could keep her insight. She shrugged and hovered a few inches in the air. She smirked at me.

"You should trust me more Andalite." She said, and began to follow the others. I don't think so. I thought, and followed her, keeping my tail ready and my main eyes on her, my stalk eyes watching the area around me and above.


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

**Jake**

We got off ok on our trek up the mountain side. My guess, we were about half way up when Ax saw something following us in the bushes.

((Prince Jake, I believe we are being followed.)) He had said. We stopped, and watched the bushes. Nomikna seemed satisfied with Ax's warning, and I couldn't figure out why. I was beginning to think we shouldn't trust her. She didn't make sense, none of these people made sense, now that I thought about it. Before I could voice my concerns to my friends, we were surrounded by the winged-less Isriska all with arrows pointed at us.

((We're doomed.)) Marco stated, in what I thought was probably private thought-speak, but you can never be sure of anything with Marco.

((Prince Jake, if I may, I might be able to knock some of them unconscious before the others realize it.)) Ax suggested. I counted the people surrounding us. There were six…no, five of us. Nomikna was no where to be seen. Probably hiding somewhere. There were probably 20 or 30 surrounding us. Not good odds.

((Do it Ax, but don't hurt anyone too badly. If you can get out, make a run for it. If one of us can get to the Rewolf, I believe we will all be brought back to Earth…)) I said.

((Jake, can you be sure?)) Cassie asked me. No, I mentally answered. But we had to try, so I made the decision.

((Cassie, if you can make a break for it, get to the Rewolf. Marco, Rachel, Ax and I will try to keep them busy. Marco and Rachel, if you can, try to remorph battle morphs but only do it if you can do it safely. Ax, on the count of three.)) I ordered.

((Yes Prince Jake. I am ready.))

((1…2…3!)) Ax's tail hit the three closest Isrika and knocked them unconscious. The other's all fired their arrows with a _ffitt_ and we all managed to dodge them.

I leaped at the closest Isrika and pinned him to the ground. He dropped his arrows and went sprawling. He tried to scratch at me, but I let out a loud roar that scared about 5 of them and sent them running away. The one I had pinned coward slightly. I backed off him and he dashed away.

I glanced quickly to see how my friends were doing. Rachel and Marco were still wolves. One of them was currently gnawing on an ankle and the other was dodging arrows. Ax was knocking out Isrika with his tail. He had an arrow pierced through one of his arms. Cassie wasn't anywhere to be seen. Good, I thought. She's after the flower. I heard a crunching of leaves and I turned around to see Nomikna firing an arrow at me. I didn't have time to move before it pierced me through my chest between my front paws. I let out a roar of pain, and staggered to the ground. Nomikna wore a smirk on her face. My chest hurt where the arrow was, I tried to get up, but it hurt too much. My vision began to blur. She knelt beside me, her wings open and I remembered thinking she looked like an angel.

"Good bye Jake." She said, and I swear her eyes flashed red before I lost consciousness and lost myself in blackness.

**

* * *

RG13: I know, but I had to do some romance since I had to exclude Tobias from this section. :D Though I do like J/C a lot…**

**TH:** I think she's venting some steam right about now. ;D

**C101:D** Exactly. Hope you enjoyed these last couple chapters.

**Quillian** oh yes, that is so true :D and add on top of that my friend having a seizure…just hasn't been a good couple of weeks for me. But hey, it's all good now…hopefully.


	36. Chapter 35

**A/N: **Only one more chapter after this! This story is almost at a close. I'm glad you are all enjoying this. Hope you like this update!

**Chapter 35**

**Cassie**

I ran from the fight. I felt like a coward, and I knew why Jake had me leave the fight. I wasn't good in a fight, but I still felt ashamed that I ran from the fight while the others could possibly still need me. I ran as fast as I could get the wolf to move and when I felt I was a good distance away, I slowed and tried to get my bearings. I remembered what Nomikna had said about the Rewolf's location. I glanced up and looked to see how far from the top I was. I was pretty close but I felt I needed to get higher and the path was getting rockier.

I carefully moved up, testing the footing before I began to move up. I got near the top and I heard a voice behind me.

"Cassie!" I turned. It was Nomikna.

((Nomikna?))

"Yes, Jake told me to come help you."

((Oh, Ok. I think I'm getting close to the Rewolf. How far do you think I need to be?)) I asked her.

"I think here is far enough." Nomikna stated.

((What?)) She smiled.

"Cassie, Cassie, Cassie. Do you really need me to spell it out to you?" Nomikna asked. "I can't let you have that flower."

((Why?))

"Because. You're story of your poor sick friend may have touch my mother, but I know better. For years we have had foreigners coming to our lands to use the power of the Rewolf for their own selfish needs." Nomikna stepped closer, taking a crossbow from behind her back. "But not anymore. I have made it my life's mission to protect the Rewolf."

((And the Isrika? How do they fit in?))

"I'll eventually be queen, Cassie. In a few years time, the Isrika will be accepted back to the cities. No longer shunned, if they help protect the Rewolf."

((You think years of discrimination are going to end with one law? I can tell you from experience on our own world, it doesn't happen like that.)) Nomikna smiled.

"I know. What they don't know won't hurt them. They don't want to be isolated from their families anymore. Who am I to tell them the others still won't accept them as the defective people they are?"

((That's misleading them.)) I said.

"Yes, but it will help me in the long run."

((What have you done with my friends?)) I asked. Nomikna smiled again.

"They won't be a problem." I felt my heart break. Jake. Did she kill them? What about Rachel? No one could take Rachel down. That girl is indestructible. At least, I thought she was. "Oh come on Cassie. You're about to see them again real soon." She took aim with the crossbow and I let out a low growl. She fired and I leaped out of the way, missing being hit by mere inches. "So, you're going to make this harder." She smirked. "You can run, but eventually, you'll tire." She reloaded and as she was, I leaped at her and she fired. She missed anything fatal and hit me in a leg. As I landed, I stumbled and fell. I tried to get up, but it was hard with my front right leg not able to support me.

"This was too easy." She said, with a smile. She walked closer to me, and I realized I couldn't do anything to save myself. I couldn't run, not with the arrow still lodged in my leg. I couldn't attack her, because she'd just hit me again. She took aim and I closed my eyes, if I was human, I would be crying. Good bye Mom, Dad. Hope you someday learn of what I've done and are proud of me. I thought, and I heard a familiar sound that was music to my ears. Fwaaapp.

I opened my eye and saw Ax smiling at me with his weird Andalite smile.

((Hello Cassie.)) He said. I felt relief flood over me.

((Jake, Rachel, and Marco?)) I asked, as Ax folded his legs under him so he could get the arrow out of my leg so I could demorph.

((They are alive.)) Ax said, and I could sense he was keeping something from me.

((Ax?)) I asked, and he pulled the arrow out of my leg and I let out a whimper of pain.

((You should demorph. We need to find the Rewolf soon. We're running out of time.)) Ax said. I sighed and did what I was told.

"Ax, what aren't you telling me?" I asked as I was once again human. He looked slightly pained.

((We should hurry.)) He said, and began to make his way up towards the top of the mountain. I sighed and followed, trying not to think the worst about my friends.

We managed to get to the top of the mountain and when I saw the sight before me, it took my breath away.

Before us against the light yellow sky, before us was a field of bright blue flowers. They had five petals on them, deeper on the edges and getting lighter towards the white center. The two orange suns beat down on us and over the field.

"Wow." I said, not realizing I was smiling. Ax looked at me.

((We should get down there.)) He said. I nodded. I started to work my way down the steep dirt path, slipping slightly on the loose stones. Ax didn't follow me right away and I waited in the field, the flowers so close together, you could hardly see the purple and blue grass beneath. Ax came down after me, in human morph. I looked at him, quizzically.

"I didn't think I would make it down." He said. "Mmm-aaaakkkkuh. Kuh."

"Let's get our flower." I said, making my way through the field. "How do we know if all of these are the rewolf?" I asked Ax. He shrugged.

We walked through the field, trying to figure out if the flowers we found were indeed the Rewolf. I bent down and picked one. The Ellimist had said he would take us back if we found it. Nothing happened. I looked at Ax.

"Now what?" He shrugged again. I frowned as I surveyed the landscape. There had to be something there. Something I missed. I remembered Nomikna saying it would only show itself to you if you had a pure intention. I sighed and thought about Tobias back in my barn, possibly dead. I thought about Jake, Rachel, and Marco, about the possibilities of them being injured where Ax had left them. I let my worry and my sadness wash over me and I felt tears sting my eyes.

"Cassie?"

I kept concentrating. Feeling the devastation I would probably feel if Tobias didn't make it, if I didn't see Jake again. Behind my closed eyes, I could see a bright light. But I kept them closed and concentrated.

"Cassie. Open your eyes." Ax said, and I noticed he didn't play with his sounds. I opened them and was surprised by what I saw. It was like a portal had opened before us and there was a golden flower shimmering in the light between the blue flowers before us. I smiled at Ax and walked forward, feeling myself being pulled into the light.

"Cassie?" I couldn't answer him. I wanted to tell Ax that I found it, but I couldn't. I wanted to ask him if he could see it, but something stopped me. I just kept moving forward in the light and picked the flower. The light stopped and I stood in the field, facing Ax, holding the Rewolf.

"Where did you get that?" Ax asked, studying the flower in my hand.

"It appeared to me." I said, studying it. Before Ax or I could say more, I felt this world folded away from me and I was back in my barn, just as we had left it.

**

* * *

RG13: Sorry to disappoint, but it felt like a good plot twist. :D**

**Quillian** Yeah, it had been awhile for Ax, so I thought one more chap couldn't hurt. I had added parenthesis as an after thought. You must have read it before I realized I forgot to change it. Sorry!

**LN:** lol! I hope you enjoy

**C101:** you weren't supposed to see it coming ;D that's why it's a plot twist ;D


	37. Chapter 36

**A/N: **Hu, I guess I lied last chapter, lol! There's still two more to go after this one. :D I guess you guys are stuck with me a bit longer, (hears collective groans). I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I know this one is short, there maybe a double post. I'll hafta see how the next chapter ends.

**Chapter 36**

**Rachel**

Cassie did it. She found the Rewolf and got us out of this strange world. We were suddenly back in the barn, and we all looked at each other, none of us having a clue as to what to do with it next.

"So, now what do we do?" Marco asked, and we all looked at him. None of us really knew what to do. I was surprised to see Marco with us. Marco was supposed to be at home. That's where he was before the Ellimist came to us. I realized then that time must still frozen. The Ellimist appeared before us. Tobias was still unmoving on the floor. I resisted the urge to run to him and glared at the old man.

"You have succeeded." He said.

"Yeah, with no help from you." I muttered. He looked at me, a grim expression on his face.

"I'm not allowed to interfere. You all know this by now." He said.

"That wasn't interfering?" I asked, and Jake shot me a glare. His look read don't. I shot him a look that said why the hell not?

"What do we do with this now?" Jake asked him. The Ellimist walked over to Cassie, or whatever it was that he did to make himself move.

"May I?" Cassie handed him the Rewolf. He held it in his hands, and the flower wilted before us. I wanted to ask what he just did, and I noticed a warmth flood through and out of me. I realized it was a golden mist and it did it to each of us until it got to Tobias. It stayed in him, but did nothing. I didn't know if it was because the Ellimist had stopped time or if it was because the so called cure didn't work. He smiled at each of us and was gone, Marco with him.

I ran over to Tobias, not caring that Ax, Cassie, and Jake were watching. I knelt in the hay beside him and put my hand to his forehead. He was still running a fever, but his color was starting to return. He didn't look quite so pale. I brushed some hair off his face that had fallen onto his brow. I felt Tobias stir slightly and I gasped and looked into his eyes, hoping for him to wake up.

**

* * *

Gemini-inu: Glad you're enjoying. I'll see what I can do with the preview…**

**rg13:** lol, yeah, her reason's made sense to me too…which I guess that makes both of us diabolical. ;D Glad you're enjoying.

**C101:** that means a lot to see that you'd read this again:D Unfortunatley, I lied earlier when I said this was the last chapter, still 2 more to go. Lol

**LN86:** you sound like my beta ;D I know how it is; I do the same things when I r&r. :D

**Quillian** Thanks for the review.


	38. Chapter 37

**A/N: **Sorry it's been awhile since I posted, but I've been busy. L I'm posting the last chapter of this story b/c, I have no idea when I'll be able to post again. Hope you all enjoy these last few chapters. It's been great seeing all of your reviews. I want to state now, I have no plans for a sequel or any other animorph related story at this time. Who knows, maybe I'll get inspired again and have another wonderful story to create. Until then, I'm glad you guys enjoy. Long live the Animorphs!

**Chapter 37**

**Jake**

I watched Rachel run over to Tobias. Cassie laid a hand on her shoulder and I glanced at her. She tilted her head toward the door and I knew what she was suggesting. I grabbed Cassie's hand and we walked outside. Ax followed our lead.

"Ax, if you want to go home, you don't have to stay here." I said, then realizing I said the wrong thing, and felt guilty. Ax couldn't go home. Not even if he really wanted to.

((It's ok Prince Jake, I know what you meant.)) He said, but still looking slightly pained all the same. ((Good night Prince Jake, Cassie.)) He said and galloped off. I looked at Cassie and winced slightly.

"It's ok. He's not mad." She said.

"I know, but I didn't realize what I said until"

"You opened your mouth and inserted your foot?" She asked, with a slight smile. I nodded, wincing once again.

"Do you think we saved the day?" I asked her.

"I think we saved our friend. And that should count for something." Cassie told me. I nodded.

"You know, we are alone this time." I said, smiling slightly.

"And what do you mean by that Jake?" Cassie demanded, eyeing me suspiciously.

"I just mean, we don't have to worry about getting interrupted again." I said, and pulled Cassie closer. She still looked suspicious. I bent down and captured her lips in mine and I think that wiped the suspicious look away. I can't be sure. All I know is that it was gone when we pulled away. Cassie smiled at me.

"What happened back on the mountain? When you ordered me away?" Cassie asked. I frowned. I didn't want to tell Cassie I had been very close to being killed.

"Nothing much. We were able to keep the Isrika distracted." I said, Cassie narrowed her eyes.

"What are you hiding? Ax wouldn't tell me anything either. What did you do? Did you get hurt?" She demanded.

"I'm fine!" I argued back, sure, I was nearly killed with an arrow, but I'm fine now, that's all that matters, right?

"What happened!" She demanded again.

"I was hit with an arrow." I said, shrugging it off. "I'm fine, it morphed away, no biggie."

"It's still serious."

"Cassie?" We both moved away from each other and looked towards the house. Cassie's mom was standing on the porch, looking out at us.

"Yes mom?" Cassie called back.

"Is that Jake with you?" She asked, coming off the porch and coming closer.

"Hello Naomi." I greeted. She smiled at me.

"Hi Jake. How are you?"

"I'm good. How is it going at the gardens?" I asked. The Gardens is where Cassie's mom works as the head veterinarian and were we frequently get our morphs from.

"Why don't you two come inside? It's getting cool out here." Naomi suggested. Cassie and I glanced at each other. We didn't want her parents in the barn yet.

"Actually, I gatta be getting home. It's getting late." I said. Naomi smiled at me.

"Don't be a stranger Jake." She said. She turned to Cassie. "Five minutes." She said and went inside. Cassie sighed.

"I'm going to get home, but update me later." I said. Cassie nodded. I wondered if I should kiss her goodnight. Would it be too date-ish if I did? Cassie made my decision for me and kissed me on the cheek.

"I should get inside before she gets my dad out here to make you go away." She said a smile on her face and she turned away and walked towards her house. I sighed and started up the drive, and when I was sure no one could see me, I morphed falcon and flew in through my open window.


	39. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

**Tobias**

I started to wake up. I could feel consciousness returning to my mind. My mind flashed with images of being in the woods with Rachel, of passing out, of the Ellimists deal, and my foggy mind wondered if my friends succeeded. It seemed my mind was getting clearer, but it could be a delusion of a dead man; a dream or a hallucination before death. I felt a soft hand on my forehead and I felt my head move slightly into it. I heard a gasp and I tried to open my eyes, but my brain and motor functions weren't cooperating.

"Tobias?" The person said. The voice was familiar, but I couldn't place it. I tried to open my eyes again, but I couldn't. I tried to find my voice, and it didn't work either. I heard myself let out a low groan, and I tried to open my eyes again.

I felt the hand return to my forehead and I concentrated on the familiar touch.

"Tobias?" The person said again, the voice more urgent.

"Rachel?" My voice croaked, and I was able to get my eyes opened, but closed them again against the bright light of the barn; which I knew normally was rather dim.

"How do you feel?" She asked. I opened my eyes again, slowly, and let the room come into focus. I felt fine. Slightly sluggish, but I think that was a left over side effect of being so sick. I pushed myself up so I was sitting upright, and blinked a couple of times to clear my head.

"I feel fine." I said. Rachel smiled and launched herself around me in a bone-crushing hug. I was squishing the urge to jump away and before I registered she was hugging me, she pulled away slightly and kissed me passionately which stumped me even more than the bone-crushing hug. She pulled away and I stared at her, completely dumb founded and feeling like an idiot.

"You're alive." She said, and I could hear the emotion in her voice.

"Yes, I'm alive." I said, feeling confused.

"I was worried we'd come back and you'd be dead." She said, looking away from me. I had no clue what to say to that. A simple, well I'm fine now, didn't seem to cover it, so I just moved closer to her and wrapped my arm around her and pulled her closer in a half hug. Rachel leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Do I want to ask how it went?" Rachel gave me an unreadable look and I decided to drop it. We sat together in silence, both of us content to be with each other.

"You almost died." Rachel whispered.

"And you guys saved me." I said, not sure what she was getting at. She moved away from me and turned to face me.

"I was afraid, I'd come back and you'd be dead." She repeated. I frowned. I knew something was wrong, but I was at a loss as to what it was. Rachel didn't get emotional very often. That's just how she was. I didn't know what to say or what to do to make it better. "I was afraid we'd fail, and we'd come back and you'd die, and I would never get the chance to tell you that…" She stopped and looked away from me, like she was ashamed. I put my hand under her chin and made her look me in the eyes.

"Tell me what?" I asked, feeling scared. That she hated me and wanted to go out with some other guy? I panicked slightly, not sure I wanted to know.

"That I love you." Time seemed to stop. I was froze; completely and utterly numb. I knew Rachel loved me. She knew I loved her. We just never really said it in those words. Rachel kept staring into my eyes, taking in my reaction and I realized that I was stoic to her; life as a hawk does that to you. Hawks don't need to smile or show any other emotions. I didn't know how to make a face for what I was feeling, totally and completely happy, so I just did what I knew she'd understand. I leaned forward and I kissed her as passionately as she kissed me earlier and I knew then that I could die a happy man…or bird…or whatever it was that I am.

Reviews from Chapter 36:

Lilly: review of small words. :D I'm hoping you were reviewing because you like, not because you hated it.

Rg13: It has been a pleasure reading/answering your reviews. Thanks for being so 'loyal' to my fic. I'm glad you like this story.

C101: lol, you're reviews always amuse me and it's been fun reading and answering your reviews. Thanks for all the fun reviews. I'm glad you like this story and I hope you enjoy the ending.

LN86: lol! Good to know you're excited. :D Thanks for the reviews, it means a lot to see them.

Quillian: thanks for all your constructive criticism and consistant reviews. Hope you enjoy the ending.


End file.
